Don't Look Back
by BlazingxSoul
Summary: We all know that Chihiro wasn't supposed to look back while crossing the river... but what if she did? Now a young woman of 20, she finds herself wrapped up in an ancient war with an old enemy. Discovering new friends and hidden allies, can they win?
1. New Beginnings

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 1**

_New Beginnings

* * *

_

"Promise." I told her firmly. I held my hand out, "Now, don't look back." I whispered to her. She smiled sadly, and began to descend down the stone steps. I felt her small hand slip from mine. The warmth from her hand was taken away, and so was my heart. I starred at my empty hand with growing sorrow. She's not even gone from my sight, and I already miss her. She was now talking with her parents on the human side of the river. They disappeared into the tunnel, but she didn't follow them. I saw her slowly turning her head to look back… dread filled my body. "No! Don't look back!" I cried. It seemed like she heard me, for her head turned back away from me. Then, her head spun around to face me. Time seemed to stop. We locked gazes for a few seconds, before she doubled over in pain.

"CHIHIRO!" I screamed.

When a human looks back, the magic from the spirit world clashes with the normality of the human world. The human standing on the border of the two worlds feels the pull of both places, and their soul is unsure where it belongs. So, the human dies from the strain, their soul being unable to decide where to go before their body can't take it anymore. Many spirits think that humans can't live here because their bodies can't adapt to all of the magic floating around.

All spirits were told horrible and frightening stories about spirits who crossed the river. A spirit walking towards the border would begin to feel weak, possibly even diebecause they were walking away from the magic that supported their very existence. I didn't think… I didn't care. I didn't think about my actions, and I didn't care what they brought upon myself. I took off at a run towards Chihiro.

With every step I took, I understood why spirits never crossed the river. Every breath I took caused me pain; every move I made seemed to put my body on fire. It felt I was dying a slow and painful death, which I kind of was. I ignored the pain, and gathered Chihiro into my arms. I took a step back toward the spirit world, and I felt refreshed. With newfound vigor, I stumbled back to the bathhouse. With every step I took, my strength returned. When I reached the top of the stone steps, I was running at full speed.

Then I realized **crossing** the river didn't actually kill spirits, staying across the river did. Staying on the human side of the river makes spirits weak, and if they get weak enough, they simply don't have the energy to get back…that's how they die.

I thanked every god that I knew for my safe crossing, and prayed even harder for the tiny human that I carried in my arms.

* * *

"Kamajii!" I cried, opening the door to the boiler room.

"Eh?" The old spirit replied, looking towards the door I just came through. Then he spotted Chihiro, and got off of his pedestal. "Sen! Wh-what happened to her?"

"She looked back." I said softly.

"Oh no… bring her over here." Kamajii whispered, pulling out a sleeping mat.

"She's still breathing… how I don't know." I said, lying her down gently.

"Perhaps her body is adapting to the magic here?"

"You think… you think that she could actually live here? But she's a human-"

Kamajii interrupted me. "Human die when they look back because they can't take the magic here, they're not connected to this world enough. But, she's still alive, that's a good sign, and a good indicator that she **can** live here. Something… or someone must be very important to her back here, that prevented her soul from leaving her."

I listened to his speech; hope beginning to flow through my veins. "I hope what you say is true Kamajii… but what of her parents?"

"I… I don't know. That you will have to ask Zeniba or Yubaba."

I nodded in understanding, and then reached inside of myself. I healed Chihiro, making her pain fade away. When I was done, the room spun slightly, but I refused to faint. "There. She's just asleep right now, and I know that she'll be starving once she wakes up. When she gets something to eat, we need to move her to a proper room…" I said.

Kamajii nodded, and grabbed another sleeping matt. "Understood. I may not know a lot about healing, but I do know that you need some sleep. No arguments… now, lie down Haku."

I smiled faintly, and lied down on the sleeping matt next to the sleeping Chihiro. "Thank you Kamajii."

"Don't mention it." He said, and went back to work.

The sounds of the boiler room soon put me to sleep.

I awoke to silence. Kamajii sleeping, and the fires were stilled. All I could hear was breathing of three or four people. Wait, four? Only Kamajii, Chihiro, and I were in here…

"It's only me Haku." Rin said, sitting up from her sleeping matt. "Sen's okay too, I checked five minutes ago."

I nodded my head, saying nothing.

"Kamajii told me what happened." Rin went on, "I'll tell you that what you did was extremely stupid, and that I thank you for it."

I let a small smile emerge. "Thank you Rin. Does anyone know what's going to happen to her?"

"Nope. No human has ever survived when they looked back… we're going to have to wait and see, when she wakes up that is. Until then, you better go visit your river."

"Huh? Rin, my river is dead."

But she just shook her head. "No. Haku, a river never really dies, according to Zeniba and Yubaba anyway. Your river isn't dead, and they found it. They told me that if you didn't go attend to it soon, it will be."

"Even if that's true, it will take me years to fully restore it!"

"Then you better get started. I'll tell Sen where you are when she wakes up. Don't worry, I'll watch her like she's my sister."

I smiled outright at this, "Rin, she might as well go ahead and **be** your sister."

Rin smiled back, "That sounds like a good idea. Maybe the gods will let her become my sister… who knows. You better go."

I slowly got up, and then frowned. "But how am I supposed to find it?"

"You know your name now, so you should be able to, right?"

I nodded, "Makes sense." I put on my sandals, and then kneeled down beside Chihiro. "Wake up soon, okay? We're all waiting to see how you are… I'll be back when I can, so stay around until then, all right?" I whispered to her, and leaned down to kiss her forehead. With that, I left… but I had one place to stop by before I left.

* * *

"You want me to what?" Yubaba hissed, "What makes you think that you have the power to make me do such a thing?"

"I do. I have my river back, you know that."

Yubaba paled. I knew that she didn't like the fact that I managed to break my contract, not one bit. "She'll get her old job back-"

"No. She'll serve you where I said she would, and she'll do it without a contract. Am I understood?"

Yubaba eyed me coolly, pausing. "Fine!" she spat at me after a few minutes. "She messes up once, and I'm free to do anything to her that I see fit."

* * *

"My river… oh my poor river..." I whispered. The devastation wracked upon my river was indescribable. Now I know that this will take me more than five years to correct. I slipped into what remained of my river, and sighed. Even though it may weak, the majestic river that it once was is still hidden in these waters, and I'm going to bring it back out for the world to see once again. I'll even force the humans out of their apartments if I have to. This river is mine, and mine alone.

* * *

((Chihiro's POV))

I woke up, and groaned. I felt like a train just hit me. Suddenly, I remembered what had happened. _I had looked back._ I promised Haku that I wouldn't… and I go ahead and do it. What kind of friend am I?

… I don't know why I looked back. It's was as if someone was trying to turn my head. Then, the wind blew, and it seemed to whisper something to me.

"Haku… Haku won't live long after you leave. He has enemies… and they want him dead. Save him… don't let him die…"

I was scared. Scared because I thought I was hearing things that weren't there… scared for Haku. I turned my head… and that's all I remember.

"Sen! You're awake!"

I turned my head to where the voice came from. "Rin?" I croaked, and was surprised how weak my voice sounded.

"Hush Sen, I'm right here." She said softly. "Since you gave Haku his name back, it somehow brought back his river. Yubaba and Zeniba found it, and he's there restoring it."

"How… long?"

"How long will it take? Your guess is as good as mine. I do know that it'll take a few years. He told me to look after you, as if I wouldn't do it anyway."

I smiled. This was Rin all right. "So he's free of Yubaba's control."

"He is, and the entire bathhouse is celebrating. When they learned Yubaba was controlling him, everyone is eager to see the real him… but they're not going to get anything different."

I laughed, "Who knows?"

"Not me. Here, we need to get you some food, and they head over to Zeniba's?"

"Huh? Why?"

"We need to see what looking back did to you because we really don't know. No human has ever done that and lived."

"Oh." I said in a small voice. Rin left, got me some food, which I devoured in seconds. Then, I was taken up to Yubaba's office, and she transported me to her sister's house.

* * *

"Chihiro! Oh, I was so worried when I heart about you! Are you all right little one?" Zeniba cried, rushing out of her house to embrace me.

"Granny!" I said happily, hugging her back. "I'm fine, really."

"And this is your friend, Rin, right?" Zeniba asked, looking over my shoulder.

"Yes this is."

Rin bowed low. "Lady Zeniba, it's an honor."

"Oh dear… my sister has put those kind of manners into you… please, it's just Zeniba, Rin. Being called 'Lady' makes me feel so old…"

We all laughed, and Rin helped me into the house.

"Rin… you haven't looked at Chihiro'a aura, have you?" Zeniba asked suddenly as she sipped her tea.

"No… no, I haven't. Why?"

"Check. You may be surprised at what you find."

Rin looked at me hard, and gasped. "Whoa! Her aura… it's glowing!"

"I know."

"Huh?" I asked, looking at the both of them, "What does that mean?"

"That's not all that's off Rin. Look at her soul." Zeniba went on. Rin did so, and a stupid grin covered her face.

"NO WAY! I could see it when she worked at the bathhouse, but it seems… clearer now than it did then."

"I believe that she might be more connected to this world than we she worked for my sister. Her body must have accepted and welcomed the magic of the spirit world. Chihiro might just be-"

"What's going on?" I asked, growing frustrated.

The both of them just looked at me. Zeniba broke the silence.

"Little one, you may have just become a spirit."

* * *

A/N: OH YEAH! A new fic out there for you people! If you haven't seen Spirited Away, you need to do so. Not only so you understand what's going on, but it'sa REALLY good movie.

Read and review!

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_


	2. My Elements

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 2**

_My Elements

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_

I've been at Zeniba's for a year now. Since I've been here for a year, Zeniba is adamant that I have an element. What I mean is that she thinks I have control of one of the elements; fire, water, wind, or earth. Granny is sure it's not earth. "You can't keep a plant alive to save yourself Chihiro." She tells me.

"Granny… can you explain to me again why you think I have an element?" I asked one morning at breakfast.

Zeniba sighed, "I believe you have one, I really do, because in your aura, you have flashes of color. Now, I can't see what the color is, but I do know that you have something. It's just a matter of time before it shows itself."

"Granny… do you know how long it's gonna take?"

"I don't Chihiro, I'm sorry. But, I wish that it would show itself soon, because I'm tired of waiting!"

I smiled and went back to my breakfast.

After breakfast, I sat down in an armchair to receive my lesson of the spirit world. Seeing as I am a spirit, and I'm here for good, I needed to learn how things work here, and this place's history. I must say it's utterly fascinating. Yubaba and Zeniba have been studying me, and together they have confirmed that I am indeed a spirit. I was thrilled, but I worried about my parents.

"We don't know what's going on in the human world, but we do know this. You looking back and becoming a spirit hasn't affected them. We're… not even sure if they remember they had a daughter. If they do, they probably think she's dead." Yubaba said to me one night she came to visit her sister.

"Don't worry Chihiro. I'm sure that you'll see them again someday." Zeniba assured me.

"How do you know?"

"When humans die, they become a spirit. Remember those black spirits on the train? They were once humans. Once a human dies, a spirit takes it's place. Now, not important spirits like Haku, but minor spirits that don't work in the bathhouse."

"So I could be taken to live again?"

"No my dear, I don't believe so. Any spirit with an element is stuck in the spirit world for good, until they die themselves."

"Spirits die?" I asked, completely shocked.

Yubaba nodded. "Rarely, but they do. When a spirit is old enough, or simply doesn't have a reason for living anymore, they die. Once a great spirit dies, they become a human, therefore unable to be what they once were. Once you die as a human, you will never have an element. That's the way it's been since the beginning of time."

Whoa, talk about a lot of information to take in at once. But now that Granny and Yubaba have established that I'm a spirit, they're determined to find my element. I'm not even sure if I have an element… that means I can die. That scares me… I don't want to. Your age as a spirit has nothing to do with when a human dies, and you're called upon to go back to live as a human. Nothing determines that, you're just picked. I wanted to get my element, and fast.

I got my wish.

* * *

"Chihiro, would you please put the kettle on?" Zeniba asked.

"Of course Granny." I replied, and went to do as she asked. I was nearing my second year in the spirit world, and we still had no sign of my element. Zeniba and Yubaba were starting to get worried that I didn't have one. When I turned the stove on, then turned to grab the kettle, a flame jumped higher than the rest. With a cry, I flung a hand up to defend myself. To my disbelief, the flame wrapped itself harmlessly around my arm.

"Granny…" I called, and she spun around.

"Chihiro, what is it?" she asked nervously, coming to stand beside me. I showed her my arm with the flame, and her eyes widened. Then she began to smile. "Oh Chihiro! Your element! You found it!"

My eyes widened bigger than hers. "**FIRE**? I'm a **fire** spirit?" I couldn't belive it. I'm **petrified** of fire.

Zeniba beamed. "I believe so! That's quite interesting, there hasn't been a fire spirit for a while… then again there hasn't been a water and air spirit for even longer…"

"Water and air? Who has those?" I asked, coaxing the flame to return to the stove.

"Why, Haku of course!" Zeniba said, looking at me. "Not many spirits have two elements."

"Air? How does he have air?"

Zeniba laughed, "How else is he supposed to fly Chihiro?"

I blushed at my own stupidity. "Oh." I said quietly.

"It's all right dear. Come, let's have dinner. We'll start playing with your new element in the morning."

* * *

It's been four years now, and I'm happy to say that I'm in complete control of my element, and no longer afraid of it.Tomy surprise, I never really was... weird.Ever since Zeniba learned that I possessed fire, she became worried for the safety of her house. I kept a tight rein on my anger and power, thus the house never burned down.

I was out in the garden with No-Face when I heard a little voice whispering in my ear. I couldn't make out what they were saying, but it was enough to scare me.

"Granny!" I called, dashing into the house.

"Honestly Chihiro, you're going to go back and work for Yubaba in less than a year! Act like you're 14!" Zeniba scolded me gently, looking up from her book.

"But Granny, I could have sworn there were voices whispering in my ear!"

She snapped her book shut, and went outside. "Voices? Where?"

"I was working in the garden with No-Face, and they just seemed to whisper in my ear…"

Zeniba starred at me a moment, then broke out in a grin. "Hearing voices on the _wind_ are we Chihiro?"

I opened my mouth to defend myself, then her words hit me. "You… you think I have two elements? What other element would I have?"

Zeiba actually laughed at this. "Wind child, wind! If you're hearing things on the wind, it's a sure sign that you're a wind spirit!"

"I have two elements now… do you think I can fly like Haku? I might have wind after all…"

Zeniba furrowed her brow. "I don't know. That's something we'll have to ask Haku when he returns. Until then, I'm going to have fun with you and your new element…"

I groaned, and Zeniba just laughed.

* * *

A/N: Yes! Another chapter! I have only one review, but I wanted to get more up here. I'm writing 3 stories right now, so I had to get this up and get it rolling before I loose the motivation to write it. So, here you go!

Dark-Shadow-Rider - Yes, good plot... yay! I'm sorry that it didn't work out for you, I really am. But hey, at least you get to read something along those lines without even writing it yourself. Bonus! I might end up confusing myself in the long run... but hey, where's the fun in writing if it's all easy?

**Read and Review! **

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_

**Disclaimer: Please say that you know that I don't own any of this? So, if you don't know, none of this is mine, end of story.**


	3. Return To The Bathhouse

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 3**

_Return To The Bathhouse

* * *

_

I stood on the bridge of the bathhouse. I was now 15, and growing at a rapid rate. I… matured, and my hair grew a little bit, but Granny cut it before I left. I held my small suitcase in my right hand, and sighed as I looked at the bathhouse. "Well, at least I have a few friends here." I said to myself, and entered the bathhouse.

* * *

"Mistress Chihiro!" A Yuna cried, walking up to me. "Here, let me take your bag. If you would please follow me, I'll show you to your rooms."

'Prompt service.' I thought to myself as I followed the slim Yuna. We went up the elevator, and to my puzzlement, I was taken to an empty floor.

"This is where your rooms are located. You share this floor with any important guest that comes. There are two suites here, so it's pretty comfortable, mistress." The Yuna said, opening a screen door to my half of the floor. My suite contained a miniature kitchen, living area, study, bedroom, and mini bath. Not bad. I stopped my mind from wandering when I saw the Yuna beginning to unpack for me.

"Oh, that's not ness-" I began.

"Yubaba is waiting for you mistress. Don't worry, I won't take anything. If you find anything missing, just ask for me."

"And your name?"

"My name? I don't remember my true name like the rest of the spirits here. Just call me Sumi."

I nodded my head, "Sumi it is then." I walked over, and helped her unpack. "So, how old are you Kasumi?"

"Spirit or human?"

I smiled, "Human I guess."

"17."

"Really? I would be 15."

"Just 15? I was envisioning you to be in your twenties… oh! Mistress Chihiro! You really need to go see Yubaba! I've got it, really."

"Two things. Number one, my name is Chihiro, and that's what I want you to call me. Second, I'm not fit to go see Yubaba right now, I need to change."

Sumi stopped her unpacking to look at me. She hid her giggles as she took in my windblown hair, (I summoned a wind to get here) and worn clothes. "I see your point. Here, put these on." She dug around in my suitcase, pulling out a few articles of clothing. My eyes widened when I saw the burgundy, floor length skirt and the snug, sleeveless white shirt.

"Looks like Zeniba packed me some things…"

"They look beautiful. Now, put those on and I'll find you a coat to wear, and fix your hair."

I nodded, and then went into my bathroom to change. Once I was dressed, I marveled at how well the new clothes fit me. I silently thanked Granny for getting me new clothes that made me look fit to be Yubaba's secretary… or whatever I was. I came out of the bathroom, and Sumi helped me into a bright white coat. It wasn't your average coat. It almost covered my hands, and the hem of the coat reached my calves. On the right sleeve, a bright tendril of a flame weaved its way up the fabric. I smiled; it looked just like the first flame that wrapped around my arm. Sumi did up the buttons on the front of my coat. I looked at myself in the mirror. I didn't see some scrawny 15 year-old anymore. I saw a young woman who was sure of herself and what she believed in. I smiled. I liked what I saw. The buttons stopped at my waist, so the coat flashed my burgundy skirt nicely.

"There!" Sumi said happily, finishing my bun. She pulled out a box of chopsticks. I was wondering what she was going to do with them, but then I noticed that they were chopsticks made to be worn in your hair. They were black, with gold scroll work etched into them. 'Thank you Granny.'

"All right, Mis- I mean, Chihiro, you're all set. Now, you better go see Yubaba before she gets to mad."

* * *

I walked through the halls of the bathhouse, my skirt swishing, and my coat slightly billowing out behind me. My sandals barely made a noise against the polished hardwood floors. Whispers of the bathhouse workers followed me as I walked to Yubaba's office.

"It's Sen! She survived!"

"Her true name is Chihiro, not Sen."

"That's Mistress Chihiro to you! She's taken Master Haku's position."

"Can Yubaba control her like she did Master Haku?"

"No, Yubaba is forbidden to do so."

"Says who?"

"Master Haku. Yubaba doesn't dare cross him now that he found his river."

I listened, but I didn't let any of the comments affect me. I reached Yubaba's door, and I knocked.

"Come in." she said, and the door opened. I took long, slow, and calm strides to her office. When I entered I stood before the fireplace, and curtsied to the witch behind the desk.

"I'm here, Yubaba."

"I can see that. So, you're a spirit now?"

"Yes ma'am."

"And you have the elements of fire and air?"

"That would be correct."

"How strong are you?"

"I am strong enough to control myself, nothing more." I said with a straight face. _That was a downright lie_. Granny told me that I could beat Yubaba herself if I set my mind to it. I wouldn't be able to do it on the first try, but I could. Granny and I agreed that I would try to hide how powerful I was, until Haku gets back at least.

"That's good. Now, let me show you the account books. As my secretary, you need to learn about them, seeing as you'll be in control of them…"

* * *

Being Yubaba's assistant wasn't as bad I thought it would be. Then again, I wasn't under her direct control, so I bet that changed things a bit. To my surprise, Yubaba can actually be a pleasant person to talk to when she's in a good mood. You don't want to know how I know; it's this huge big story that I don't want to start telling. I made good progress with the account books, and I managed to save Yubaba a whole bunch of gold. Once she learned of this, she took the liberty of buying me a whole new wardrobe.

"I can't have you looking like some rat, I have a reputation to uphold." She told me sternly when I thanked her for the clothing. I didn't protest, but I really do think that she's taken a shine to me.

* * *

Today was no different than any other day… well, it started out that way. It turns out that some important and powerful spirit is coming to the bathhouse, and will be staying for a few months. So, the bathhouse is throwing a ball as a welcome celebration for him. So, I'm frantically preparing his rooms while Yubaba over sees the ball preparations.

"There Chihiro. If I may say so myself, you're going to knock all of the male spirits off their feet." Sumi said happily, looking over me to see if she needed to do any last minute fixes.

"You really think so?"

"I know so." Sumi said firmly, and I smiled. Over the past five years (Yes, I'm 20 now), Sumi has become an older sister to me, right along with Rin. After being back at the bathhouse for three years, I requested that Sumi become my personal maid. It took a while, but Yubaba finally agreed. Since Sumi was working for Yubaba, she had a contract, right? But since Sumi was handed over to me, she got her real name back. Now, everyone calls her by her real name, Kasumi, which means mist. It fits, because her eyes are so pale, they might as well **be** mist. I didn't ask about her past at first. I figured she would tell me when she was ready to.

"You're all set to go. The guest's rooms are ready, and everyone's waiting for you."

I stood up, and looked at myself in the mirror. Silently, I thanked Yubaba for keeping my wardrobe updated as the fashions changed, and I grew. I wore a strapless white dress that fanned out when it reached the floor. A silver coat was on top of that, and the hem barely brushed the floor. It was left open, displaying my dress for all to see. A belt of red and gold beads was wrapped around my waist, emphasizing my hourglass figure. Earrings that mirrored my belt hung from my ears, but were nearly hidden from my long hair. It reached the middle of my back now, but I had cut it a few times over the years to keep it healthy.

"Chihiro, are you done looking yet? We need to go!"

I looked at Kasumi, and smiled. "Sorry, I'm ready to go." I said, and looked at her attire. She was easily the most attractive Yuna at the bathhouse. Her rose pink kimono brought out her features, and her sleek black hair was back in a strict bun. Her face was a perfect oval, and her eyes were almost as pale as the mist she was named after.

"Finally!"

* * *

The room was packed. Musicians played, spirits talked, ate and drank, and danced. The workers relaxed in the background, enjoying their break. The spirits had come from all over the spirit world to honor this spirit, but I still had no idea WHO this spirit was. Yubaba went on stage, and gathered the crowd's attention.

"Good spirits, tonight we are gathered to welcome a powerful spirit back to the bathhouse. He has been absent for the past ten years, but today he returns to us for a time. Everyone, please, give a warm welcome to Haku!"

* * *

A/N: Enter Haku! Yay! Well, I have another chapter up as you can see, and I'm working on the next one this weekend! I was planning on updating on Saturday (4/1), but I decided, what the heck! Let's upate now! Next chapter we get into the plot, oh yeah!

DarkAngelPrincess15 - As you can tell, Haku is coming back next chapter! YAY! Glad you think that this story is cool. Hehe!

Wings of Tears - ((love your pen name! Sorry, just had to say that...)) This is good? Yes! That's what I was aiming for... just like every single other author on this site... anyway! Haku's coming back next chapter! Dang... I wonder why everyone misses Haku... ((lmao)) I have a 10/10? OH YEAH! Ahem... yes, thank you for that. I greatly appreciate that you think I'm that good of a writer, yes, ahem.

InuYasharulstheworld - I'm so sorry! I didn't give you your dues last chapter! Bad Angel, bad, bad, BAD! I'm sorry! Anyway... I'm glad that I blew you away, but can you come back and review again? Please! I watched the movie a week or so ago, and I thought about it, what WOULD happen? So, I got a pad and paper, and proceded to plotout this fic. Of course, I've lost those notes... oh well. Start from scratch!

Thank you all for reviewing, and I hope to see more reviews in my inbox! I love them so much!

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_

Disclaimer: I own nothing, whoopie.


	4. It Begins

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 4**

_It Begins

* * *

_

The double doors opened. I held my breath, wondering if Chihiro was still here after all of these years. When the doors opened, fully, my eyes swept the room as I walked down the stairs. Eyes were following me wherever I went, and I wasn't surprised. I wasn't the 12 year-old boy that I was when I left. Nope, I was a young man of 22. I spotted a few Yuna giggling at me, and I refrained from rolling my eyes. I wore black pants and coat, and dark green scrollwork decorated my sleeves. My hair had grown, seeing as I didn't have the time to actually cut it. I trimmed it before coming, and I held the rest back in a low ponytail. A few strands had fallen into my face, but I didn't care. I knew that they were going to fall out no matter how hard I try to keep them back.

I could feel the silence slowly coming down on my, threatening to crush me. I ignored it, and walked with long and unhurried strides to Yubaba. When I reached her, I gave her a bow, and she managed to give me an awkward curtsy in return.

"Welcome back, Haku."

"Thank you for receiving me Yubaba." I replied.

"I understand you know my new assistant, Chihiro?"

"I do. Where is she?" I asked, trying to hide my eagerness to see her.

"Hello, Master Haku." A woman's voice said. I turned slightly to my right, and my gaze settled upon an angel. There's no better way to describe how much she has grown. She caught my gaze, and gave me a graceful and deep curtsy. My heart tightened when she did. I've learned something already. I don't want to see her curtsy to me again. I don't want to be her better.

No matter how hard I tried to stop myself, I had to ask the question. "Chihiro… is that really you?" I breathed.

She smiled at me, and my heart absolutely melted. Damn, what is wrong with me? Maybe ten years hasn't changed the way I feel about her. By the looks of where this is going, probably not. "Yes, it is me." She said in that musical voice of hers. I'm not kidding, it really is!

Yubaba interrupted our reunion, which I felt like punching her for. "Now that we're all reacquainted, let the dances begin!" she snapped her fingers, and the musicians began to play once again. "Chihiro, I'm retiring for the night, you're in charge."

"Yes ma'am." Chihiro nodded, and Yubaba left through a side door. As the spirits started to dance something similar to a human waltz, I turned to completely to face Chirhiro.

"It's been ten years… it's good to see you again Chihiro." I said softly, meeting her gaze.

"It's good to see you again too, Haku."

I smiled, and gave her a deep bow. "With that said, would you honor me with a dance?"

Chihiro smiled back, and curtsied in return. "The honor is all mine. It's not everyday that I get asked by a river god to dance, let alone a friend."

I grinned, and held out my arm to her. When she took it, I felt like I was on the top of the world. Even though I left 10 years ago without a good bye to her, she doesn't hate me. She still considers me a friend even. If I can ask the gods, what did I do to deserve such a friend as her? As we stepped on the dance floor, the musicians switched songs. I grimaced when I heard which one they were playing.

"Do you know this one?" I asked Chihiro, not trying to hide my disgust for the dance.

She laughed at my expression, and my knees went weak. Her smile can make my heart melt, looking into her eyes can lift my spirits, and her laugh makes me want to sit down… living here is going to be a lot harder than I thought.

Chihiro smiled up at me, "Yes, I do know this one. But judging by the look on your face… do you want to wait for the next one?"

I shook my head, "They'll just start playing it again when I come back on the dance floor."

The dance portrayed a river in its prime, powerful and majestic. Yeah, I know. Fitting, isn't it? The two of us never touched, her being the piece of wood in the river, and me playing the river. I guided her around the dance floor, and she never missed a step or beat. I kept my eyes in Chihiro, and let my feet guide me.

She had grown so much. I knew that she would age and become a woman… but the woman that was dancing with me was more beautiful than any human woman would hope to be. Her hair shimmered, and the beads of her belt were clinking together. Those beads baffled me to no end. Sun gold and fire red beads were wrapped around her waist, and what they stood for was a mystery to me.

My thoughts drew to a close just as the dance did. Chihiro had followed the steps exactly and had danced away from me. Now, she spun toward me, stopping a few feet in front of me, back to me. Her arms were held out slightly away from her sides, and her palms were open and facing me. I slid up to her in one movement, and took her hands gently in my own, intertwining our fingers. She was startled, but I squeezed her hands reassuringly. I wrapped both of our arms around Chihiro's waist. She leaned her head back and let it rest on my right shoulder, and the both of us looked to our left at the double doors that I had walked through naught but a few minutes before.

From a distance, I bet we looked like a perfect picture. I saw a few spirits smiling as us, and I smiled back, then glanced down at the top of Chihiro's head. A mighty river god holding a human. That picture was one of a kind, and that picture… was shattered.

As the last note played, I didn't want to be anywhere else. Holding Chihiro close was now my favorite past time, one that I know I won't get to do often. Something like this is foreign to me. I chose not to associate with women, so this is the closest to one that I have ever been. I love the way that she seems to just fit into my arms effortlessly; it's like she was made to do that. I mentally kicked myself.

'You haven't even been back for a night, yet she has you completely wrapped around her finger, and she doesn't even know it!' I scolded myself, but I ended up smiling, 'Maybe that's not such a bad thing.'

The musicians stopped playing that long last note, the crowd burst into applause. As the couples stepped off the dance floor for a break, and new couples came on to dance, I didn't let her go. To my delight, she seemed content to stay like that. I leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Since when did you dance?" I asked her softly.

She laughed quietly. "I don't. I don't know very many dances, so don't get used to this."

"Really? You're a natural Chihiro. I guess someone will have to teach you… I would, if that doesn't bother you."

"You would really do that?" she asked, looking up into my face, chocolate brown eyes twinkling.

"If you aren't afraid to be criticized, then I'll teach you."

"I'm not afraid of criticism. You learn to deal with it as Yubaba's assistant."

I laughed when I heard this, and she joined in. I hugged closer to me, "You have no idea how true that is."

"Haku… yes I do." She told me, containing her giggles.

Suddenly, the music stopped. Everyone stopped dancing. Chihiro and I looked back at the double doors, and they burst open. Everyone gasped, and I held Chihiro closer, glaring at the new arrivals.

Three figures came down the stairs, clad entirely in black, hoods drawn up over their faces. Two of the figures stopped on the last stair, and the figure in the middle continued to walk toward us. A few feet away from me and Chihiro, the figure stopped and pulled back their hood. I was surprised to find an older woman underneath the hood. She looked to be in her 40's, but her age didn't diminish her presence. The woman was deathly pale, paler than I, with her long silver hair hiding most of her face. One, cold, light blue eye surveyed the room, the other hidden behind her curtain of hair.

"Who is the owner of this bathhouse?"

Chihiro slipped out of my grasp, and took a few steps toward the strange woman. "The Lady Yubaba has retired for the night-"

"And are you her assistant?"

Chihiro frowned, "Yes I am. May I ask-"

"What lies you spread! Yubaba would never hire a human to work for her!"

"I am not a human any-"

"Is that so? Well, regardless of what you say, our reason for being here stays the same."

"What is it that you want?" Chihiro snapped, losing her patience. I'm actually surprised the woman let Chihiro finish a sentence for a change.

"My name is Maeve, and I want your river god." The woman hissed, and she snapped her fingers. I didn't have time to react. Unbreakable bonds tied my hands behind my back, and black clad figures came out of nowhere to hold me still. I thrashed about, kicking and fighting my way out of their hold. Then I saw the strange woman move. She pinned Chihiro against her, and raised a long and silver knife to her throat.

"If you continue to put up a fight, you won't see much of your precious human again."Maeve hissed. I stopped fighting back immediately, and I hung my head in shame. "I thought so. You've become to weak, letting a human come this close to you can become dangerous Haku."she laughed, and I glared daggers at her.

"What is going on here?" Yubaba cried, walking back into the room. "I was having a wonderful dream, and-" she cut off, and her eyes widened. "You! You… why are you here? We had a deal, you leave us alone and the gods would let you live!"

"That pact has been terminated. Yes Yubaba, it is as you and your sister feared. The Druids are back, and we're thriving."

Everyone seemed panicked, and began to look for an easy way out. Yubaba took a step back, and I paled. Not the Druids… **anything** but the Druids. I knew that Chihiro had no idea what was going on, and I didn't expect her too. But, what she did next I never would have expected her to do.

Maeve dropped the knife she was holding to Chihiro's throat with a yelp. I noticed the knife was steaming hot, giving off steam even. Chihiro moved away from the woman and faced her. She spoke a few words, and flung a huge fireball at her. My eyes went very wide. This was **definitely** not the girl that I knew ten years ago. Maeve cried out in pain when she hit the opposite wall. She slumped over, unmoving. The two unmoving figures on the stairs drew their swords, and rushed Chihiro. She was unfazed, and threw two fireballs at them. They joined Maeve against the wall.

At this point, the ballroom was in chaos. More black clad figures had jumped up out of nowhere, causing the guests to flee in panic. Yubaba was on stage; incinerating any black figures that she laid her eyes on. Then I realized that the room was growing smaller, and I could hear the howl of the wind. They really weren't kidding when they said that they wanted me.

Chihiro spotted me, and I didn't feel safe. Her hands were holding bunches of flames, and her hair was wiping around her face from the energy of the fire she possessed. Her dress danced in an unseen breeze. I… I was afraid of her. I was **really** glad that I wasn't a Druid at that moment.

"You will not be taking Haku." She said softly, but her voice rang out through the hall. No one seemed to hear her, but my guards did because they dragged me even faster to another side door. Then Chihiro did something that I didn't know she could do.

When I first brought her to the bathhouse, I had to fly her over the bridge because she was spotted, remember? Well, she did exactly what I did that night, and it blew me away, literally. The force of the wind hit us when she stopped, bowling over some of my guards. I kicked out, and the remaining men holding me let go. I sprinted away, but some of the men followed me. One grabbed my foot, and I spun around to face him. But before I could do anything, the man let me go as if he was being burned. Then I realize he had… but not by Chihiro.

A dragon wound it's body around me, it's lower body wrapped around my legs. The dragon's two back feet were on my right hip, and the two front feet rested on my chest. It's neck went behind my own, and it's head was draped over my shoulder. This dragon looked and was built exactly like me, but was much smaller with different coloring. The scales were a sun gold, and the mane was a fiery red. 'Like Chihiro's beads…' I thought, my mind racing. 'Chihiro is wrapped around you… she's a dragon…' The thought seemed to far fetched, but I had proof, and it was literally wrapped around me. Then I saw a… flame of some sort flying around the men, causing them to run away from me. When I looked at it hard enough, I realized it wasn't a flame, but another dragon!

'Huh?' The thought sent my mind reeling. 'Chihiro can't be two dragons… but if she's not the dragon around me, where is she?'

As if in answer, someone snapped. The dragon quit chasing the men, and the dragon wrapped around me slowly unraveled itself. They merged together, and shot off to some unknown destination behind me. I turned to see where they were going, and my jaw dropped. The flame shot toward Chihiro's out stretched hands, and the flame hit her dead center. But instead of crying out in pain, falling over, or roasting to a crisp, she was perfectly fine. The fire hadn't harmed her at all.

She smiled sheepishly at me, "Sorry about that."

I breathed in shakily, "I don't mind much, really."

Chihiro giggled, and snapped her fingers again. My bonds came undone, and I rubbed my wrists as I walked toward her. "How- never mind. I don't want to know how you did that."

She smiled, then swayed. "Whoa…"

"Chihiro!" I cried, catching her before she hit the floor.

A Yuna came up to me and laid a hand on my arm. "Here. I'll take her to her rooms."

"And who are you?" I snapped, not caring about being polite.

"Ah, forgive me." She said, giving me a deep curtsy. "I am Kasumi, Lady Chihiro's maid. She's all right, just tired."

"And you know this because?"

"She's done something like this before. Not on this scale of course, but something along these lines. If she wishes to, she can explain the circumstances when she wakes."

I blinked a few times, and stared hard at Chihiro's maid. "Sumi? Sumi, is that you?"

She smiled. "My name was Sumi. Since I work for Chihiro, my contract with Yubaba was broken. Now, I have my true name back, Kasumi."

I smiled. She had found me a few hours after I had just lost my river. She brought me to the bathhouse, fixed me up, and sent me off to see Yubaba. I know that she thinks it's her fault that I became Yubaba's henchman, but there wasn't anything she could do. In those few months, she became one of my close friends. But after I became the second in command, she could no longer talk to me. In a way, she's kind of my older/younger sister.

"It's good to see you again… Kasumi."

Her eyes danced. "Good to see you again too, Haku. Now, let's get her into bed."

* * *

A/N:**DUN DUN DUN**! The Druids have returned! Who they are and why everyone is afraid of them is coming next chapter! I didn't realize how much people LIKED this until I got like four reviews in a day. Now, for me, that's a lot! So, here are your thank yous to whoever reviewed!

**clavira89** - Yes, Haku is back, and he's going to be here for a while before I kick him back out... just kidding! I'm glad that you're liking this, and here's the next chapter! Hope you liked it!

**Wings of Tears** - Yes! Another 10/10! I know, hope you liked this reunion, but a better one is coming next chapter, so don't get upset if you didn't think this was fluffy enough. ((although their official reunion might not be fluffy... but you never know.)) Thanks, and I hope you like this chapter too!

**Coyote** - I'm sorry that I went to fast! I'll go back and edit that chapter when I get the time, how does that sound?

**liddoloner** - I'm glad that you think this fic is interesting, and I hope it got more so in this chapter.

**Lack Therof** - I'm glad that you're liking the plot here, and that this fic isn't "crappy". But, have you read anything by **Velf**? Because those Spirited Away fics are **NOT** crappy **AT ALL**. You liked how I explained what happened to Chihiro? Really? I thought that I didn't put enough detail into it, but I guess not! Yay!

**Blah** - Liking the plot... the story is flowing... oh yeah. ((puts on shades / lmao))

**angelofblades** - I couldn't help but give her something cool like elements... hehe! I was orginally going to give her the ability to become a dragon, but I thought that it would sound that I was making her more like Haku, and I didn't want to do that. So, I think summoning two fire dragons is WAY cooler.

Disclaimer: I own nothing... hmph.

Read and Review please, and thank you!

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_


	5. The News And The True Reunion

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 5**

_The News And The True Reunion

* * *

_

"Your rooms are across the hall Haku." Kasumi told me as I laid Chihiro down gently on her bed.

"If you don't mind, I'll stay on the futon tonight."

"Want to keep an eye on her?"

"I just want to make sure that's she's all right whenever she wakes up."

Kasumi nodded, and gave me a quick curtsy. "As you wish. But, if you'll please leave the room for a minute, I need to get her into something she can sleep in."

I blushed, "I don't mind at all." I left the room, and I could have sworn Kasumi smiled when she saw my reaction.

Even though Kasumi is highly attractive to other men, I don't find her so. She's more of a sister to me than anything. Family, nothing more. Well, I'm not sure how she feels about me exactly, but that's not something I want to stick my head into and investigate. She knows that I'm not interested in any woman, or so I thought…

I knew that I still liked Chihiro… a lot, but what I was feeling at the ball was something that I wasn't expecting to feel. In my mind, I knew that it might be love, but I knew that Chihiro couldn't grasp the fact that I loved her like her parents loved each other. Okay, that might be an overstatement. I'm sure that I don't love her that much… I'm not even sure if I love her. Like yes, but love? Probably not. I gritted my teeth. It sounds so wonderful in my head, but why won't my heart listen?

"It's safe Haku. Try to get some sleep, okay?" Kasumi said, holding the door to Chihiro's room open.

My eyes widened. "In her room? Kasumi, you know that's improper-"

She rolled her eyes at me, "No one knows, and it's not like your going to do anything dishonorable… are you?"

I blushed redder than Chihiro's beads, I'm sure. "No! Kasumi, I'm not some sack of hormones!"

"Not yet you're not." She muttered, and I starred at her aghast. She tried to force down her giggles, but a few escaped. "Oh believe me, I was watching you dance with her. You like her a lot, don't you?"

I sighed heavily. "Can we talk about this later?"

Kasumi smiled wide. "Oh, I'm not sure if I need to anymore…"

"No, I need someone to talk to about it." I said quickly.

"Then I'll be ready to listen. If she's feeling fine in the morning, and I'm done working in the kitchens, I'll talk."

"Thank you Kasumi." I said, and she left the room. I shut the bedroom door behind me, and I sat gingerly upon the futon. I starred at Chihiro while I thought.

I'm not exactly sure why I offered to talk to Kasumi about it, but I guess I really need to talk. I need to know if she ever thinks about me, talks about me, any shred of evidence that I even hold a place in her heart. I know deep down that Kasumi won't know anything, but I have to try. I lied down on the futon, and looked up at the ceiling.

And there was the matter of the Druids. Just their name sent shivers up my spine. The Druids were a group of spirits that… didn't appreciate humans. So much in fact, that they're known for doing horrible and terrible things to them, things that I don't even want to think about, much less repeat or tell. Their goal was to get rid of them for good. We had managed to beat them many years ago, but we barely made it out alive. The Druids were strong and numerous, far better than our forces. The League of Spirits were a group of spirits that swore to oppose the Druids and do anything to prevent their plans from succeeding. The Druids did a wonderful job of crushing the League, but we managed to hold together and defeat them. The Druids fled to the most remote parts of this world, never to emerge again, or so we thought. Since Chihiro was a human and now will forever live in this world… that has to be what sent the remaining Druids over the edge.

Then came the question of why me? If Chihiro is what has them in an uproar, why do they want me? Why do they need or want me? There isn't anything that I could give them…

That's a lie, and I know it. I have an uncle, although you can barely trace him back to me. His name is Odin, and he has no traces of being a water spirit. He's pure fire, and he has a temper to match it. He was a Druid the first time around, but I never found out if he lived. The woman that burst into the bathhouse to get me was Maeve… that was a new name. She must have been promoted… but to what I don't know. I'm not even sure if the original leader of the Druids still lives.

I forced these unpleasant thoughts from my head, and fell asleep.

* * *

"Master Haku… you really need to wake up… Yubaba wishes to speak to you..." 

My eyes snapped open, and Kasumi literally jumped five feet in the air. I smiled apologetically, "Sorry Kasumi. I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's all right. I would have woken up Chihiro, but I know better. If she's to get up before nine in the morning, she does it herself, otherwise you'll end up with a broken nose, or a very grouchy assistant."

I laughed despite myself. "And how did we learn this?"

"When she got frustrated with Yubaba and nearly set her office on fire."

My eyes widened. "Seriously? How did Chihiro keep her job after that?"

"You."

I blinked. "Huh?"

"You said that she would keep that job until you came back, then Yubaba could deal with her as she saw fit, remember? Besides, the whole bathhouse knows that she's taken a shine to Chihiro. She treats her like a daughter, but that might be pushing it." Kasumi explained, and hauled me up of my seat on the futon. "I think she wants to talk to you about last night. I suggest you get freshened up and hustle up there. You might be a river god, but let's not test her temperthis early in the morning."

* * *

After I changed, I headed up to Yubaba's office. 'Well, I never thought that I would be doing this anytime soon.' I thought to myself as I knocked on her door. 

"Oh, it's you. Come in Haku." She said airily, and the doors opened to admit me. I walked swiftly down the lavishly decorated hallways (Badly decorated I might add) to Yubaba's office.

When I entered her office, I gave her a slight bow. "You wished to see me Yubaba?"

"I actually wished to see Chihiro, but I've forbidden her maid to wake her before nine in the morning. It yields nasty results. Anyway, I think that talking to you might result in a better outcome."

My eyes narrowed. "And why do you say that?"

"Because you actually know who the Druids are." She sighed, rolling her eyes. "Chihiro still needs to learn many things about this world, although she is well on her way. Besides, I don't think that she would take this topic easily."

I nodded seeing as she did have a point. It wouldn't rest well with Chihiro that these people killed her old race for fun. "What have you learned?"

"The remains of the League that dare stand up have learned a very few important pieces of information. The good news is that there aren't too many new faces. The bad news… we know exactly what we're up against, and it's not pretty. Kallisto is still the leader of the Druids, how she didn't die is beyond me."

I didn't try to hide my cringe. Kallisto was probably the most heartless spirit you would ever find in this world. She makes Yubaba seem like a loving and caring grandmother… seriously. She even admitted it herself, and that's saying something.

"It seems that Kallisto had children while she was in hiding, twin boys in fact."

Another cringe. Kallisto? Sons… and they're twins? I don't want to know how they grew up with her as a mother. I think it's safe to say that they could possibly be worse than her.

"Not exciting I know, terrible in fact. But, it seems that one of her sons doesn't seem to take well to what the Druids practice. This could be used to our advantage." Yubaba went on.

I perked up slightly when I learned this. "At least that's some good news. The more people we have on our side, even if it's just one person, the better."

"I agree. Now, we know that their names are Phobos and Perun, but we do not know who is who, or how to recognize them. We have no idea how strong they are, of if they are even among the ranks of the Druids."

"Well, so much for good news." I grumbled.

Yubaba gave a tired sigh, "Well, you remember Kallisto's second in command, Azar?"

I paled, "Oh no… please don't tell me-"

"Rest assured, she died, and thank the gods too. I have no idea what we would do if she was still around."

I breathed a sigh of relief. In some ways, Azar was worse than Kallisto herself, and that's really bad. Words cannot describe the horrors the both of them wracked upon the spirit world centuries ago.

"Her new second in command is Maeve, the one we saw at the bathhouse. It's unclear why she was sent to kidnap you, but it's being investigated."

"Yubaba, do you know anything of Odin?" I asked, growing slightly fearful.

Her face showed then confusion, and then it slowly became realization. "Odin… that would explain everything. Sadly, he did not die during the last battle we had. No doubt he thought that you could be a wonderful asset to the Druids, even if you refused to help."

"Capture me, force the League to surrender for the safe return of the river god. They've sunk to a new low, haven't they?"

Yubaba snorted. "Haku, the Druids don't know the meaning of low, get used to it. Now, according to the reports, Odin is still third in command-"

"He didn't get promoted when Azar died?"

"Surprisingly, no, he did not. We believe that the position can only be held by a woman. Why is uncertain…"

"So the man can't seduce Kallisto and assume control of the Druids." I said simply, shocked that Yubaba hadn't put that together.

Yubaba starred at me. "Seduce? Not even the male gods themselves could seduce her."

"Someone had to. She did have twins after all." I pointed out.

She opened her mouth to retort, but closed it with an angry sigh. "You have a point there. Who do you think managed to do it?"

"Odin."

"Why do you say that?"

I rolled my eyes. "Do you really think that she would allow a **cadet** to do that to her?"

"Once again, good point. Oh dear, the children of Kallisto and Odin… I don't want to have the honor of meeting them…"

"None of us do, I assure you."

"Now… since we know the main leaders, we need to focus on renewing and recruiting for the League…"

* * *

Yubaba and I talked tactics for what seems the entire morning. When I left her office, I found Chihiro greeting the more important guests in the lobby. I watched her from the doorway, talking equally with the spirits. 

It's amazing how much can change over ten years… to me, that's not a long time, but to her it is. I wonder if she even-

"Haku!" she said happily, spotting me in the doorway.

I smiled back. "Good morning Chihiro. How are you feeling?" I asked, walking up to her.

"Just fine. Sleep was all I needed."

I nodded. "Care… to explain what that was that you did?"

She blushed. "Um… it would be one of my talents…"

"Talent? That's not your average talent Chihiro. Come, talk to me about it over lunch."

* * *

We had lunch in my rooms, exchanging our experiences over the past ten years. But, she had managed to avoid the topic of her power…

"Chihiro, you've evaded my main question for an hour now. Very good I must say, but you're not leaving until I hear."

She sighed, defeated, and set down her fork, pushing her plate to the side. "All right, you want to know?"

"Explain everything, and don't leave anything out." I said, pushing my own plate to the side.

So, she began to tell me when she and Zeniba discovered her first element, fire. I knew that if she ever had an element, it would be fire. Her spirit is strong and very much alive for a spirit… a lot like fire. Then she brought up that she had not one element, but two. My eyes widened a bit as she went on with her tail. She told me of the experience when she heard her first voices on the wind, and how she could summon them whenever she wished.

"I can fly, but not like you. Zeniba and myself wanted to know if I would be able to fly like you… seeing as we didn't know how to check ourselves."

I shook my head sadly. "You cannot, I can sense it. That's fine though. I swear that you had everyone running when you summoned your fire dragons. I must say… having one wrapped around you is something I had yet to experience."

She blushed. "Sorry about that… I haven't got much control over them yet. I can only summon them when I'm truly angry. Seeing as that doesn't happen often, I don't get a lot of practice with them."

"Then I guess we will have to fix that, won't we?"

"What?" she asked, looking slightly shocked.

"It makes a lot of sense to beat that barrier down. What if you need to fly away from somewhere, and I'm not there to fly you away? You need to be-"

"I know that they can't carry me Haku."

"Do you know for sure?" I asked, a smile coming over my face.

Her face turned a pale red. "Well… no…"

"You never know until you try Chihiro. Now, let's take a walk. I have to get out of this bathhouse before I loose my mind."

She laughed, and my heart swelled knowing that I was the cause of that laughter. I have to get a hold of myself… for both of our sakes before everything we know crumbles into chaos.

* * *

We walked along the garden paths, talking about nothing of importance, and laughing at the occasional funny topic. She brought up last night, and wanted to know who the Druids were. I looked at her hard, then sighed deeply. I proceeded to tell her everything in a basic summary of the Druids. I didn't leave anything important out, no matter how bad it was. When I was done, her face was completely calm. I knew that's not what she was on the inside. I could sense the anger and sadness rolling off of her in waves.

"You know… I think I know exactly what you need right now."

Chihiro looked up at me and blinked. "And what is that exactly?"

'Damn, she even talks different.' I mused to myself. I was expecting a 'huh?'… but I guess times change, and too fast. "Want to go for a ride?"

"A ride? Haku, I'm in a dress. I can't exactly ride easily without falling off-"

I smiled, expecting that to be her reaction. I focused, and her dress changed. It was the same color and cut, just with divided skirts. Like the Victorian ladies of old, the dresses they used when they rode horses.

She looked down at her new skirts, and glared back up at me. Her arms were crossed beneath her chest, and she was shaking her head, a slow smile creeping over her face. "I should have known you would so something like this…"

I grinned. I focused, and my shape began to change. My body seemed to meld with my surroundings, and then my dragon form appeared on the grass. Her eyes widened, and I laughed to myself. I remembered that she had never seen me transform. 'Well, this was certainly something interesting for her.'

Chihiro giggled, and gave me a curtsy. I eyed her with one of my jade eyes, and she laughed. She hoped on, and I took off.

* * *

As we flew, her pinned up hair came loose, and her hair streaked out behind her. She was smiling, and when the lash of the wind became to much, she would burry her face in my mane like she always did. It sent shivers down my spine. I believe this was the best idea that I've had all day.

When we touched back in firm ground, Chihiro got off and came around to stand in front of me. I raised my head so it was level with hers, which made her smile. She took my head in both hands, and pressed it up against hers, just like she had ten years ago when I arrived at Zeniba's house. I smiled inwardly, a plan beginning to form in my mind.

I slowly changed back to my human form, and Chihiro didn't realize this until to late. When I mean to late, I mean that I was back in my human form. Since she had a hold of my head as a dragon, her hands rested lightly on my cheeks, her forehead leaning against mine. I raised my hands to set them lightly on he waist. I smiled at her, my eyes dancing.

She blushed a wonderful shade of red, and took her hands off of my face. I frowned a little, I had been enjoying that. I lifted my head, and kissed her gently on the forhead, and lifted a hand to her hair, using magic to straighten it out again. I pinned it up, and she smiled up at me.

"Thank you. I loved it."

I smiled warmly. "I'm glad you did. You know, for the first time in my life, I'm glad to be back at the bathhouse." With that said, I pulled her into a warm embrace, my hands around her waist, her arms around my neck. My cheek rested in her soft hair, and I sighed.

This was peace, true peace. And I knew this peace would be shattered, and shattered soon.

* * *

A/N: ((grins)) Aww... cute. Yes, just when the fluff starts, the plot begins! Don't you just love me?

**Wings of Tears **-Yes, glad to see that I'm still getting 10's.

**samgurlalways** - Last chapter was the just right ammount of fluff? Oh goodie, what about this chapter? Thank you so much for your compliments, seriously. I like to engage my readers, and it means a lot that you think I'm doing it all right, thank you.

**Coyote** - ((lol)) Chihiro, when she's angry enough, can summon up two flying fire dragons. She cannot change herself, sadly. Hope that cleared things up if you didn't get it in this chapter. If you're still confused, send me an email.

**Quote the mute** - More more more? Well, here it is!

**Goddess of Grammar** - I'm glad you like this so far, and I hope you like this chapter as much as you did the last few. Sorry about all of the talking. It's kinda neccessary when you don't know what's going on... hehe.

Disclaimer: I don't own Spirited Away. If you did, do you really think that I would be writing fan fic? I would SO be making a sequel out of this! ((Okay, maybe not, but you get my point.))

Read and review! Thanks!

-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-


	6. Meeting A New Enemy

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 5**

_Meeting A New Enemy

* * *

_

((Chihiro's POV))

I went back inside the bathhouse, trying to hide my grin. The afternoon flight with Haku had been amazing. We had talked a little more after that. The entire time I tried to get him to open up about what he knew about the Druids… but he would always neatly and subtly avoid the topic. I tried to focus on my work that I had to get done for Yubaba, but I couldn't focus. The Druids wouldn't leave my mind no matter how hard I tried. I wanted to talk to someone about it, seeing as I knew nothing about this group. I would have loved to ask Haku, but it seems that he doesn't care to tell me. Zeniba would probably do the same thing, and Yubaba would most likely ignore my questions all together. Kasumi seemed terribly shaken by their sudden appearance, so I don't think that it's wise to ask her. That leaves me with two people, Rin and Kamajii. Rin might know a few things, but Kamajii was my best bet at figuring out this mystery that no one wanted to tell me about.

* * *

I made my way down to the boiler room, only to discover that Rin was down there as well.

"Chihiro! It's good to see you again!" Rin cried, standing up to embrace me warmly.

Returning the hug, I laughed. "It's good to see you again too Rin."

She let me go and sighed. "I never see you anymore since you work up top now. You have to work on visiting me more, okay?"

I nodded, smiling faintly. "I'll try, promise."

Kamajii reached out an arm to hug me around my shoulders, never ceasing his work. "I'm glad that you could spare me a visit little one. But, I can tell that something is on your mind. Please, take a seat and tell old Kamajii about it."

I sat down on a nearby mat. "I was wondering if you would tell me more about the Druids. Everyone else seems hesitant to do so." I said slowly, arranging my skirts around me so they wouldn't wrinkle as I sat. At first, neither Rin or Kamajii spoke. He took a deep breath and began his explanation.

"The Druids are a group of select spirits that despise humans to no end. They ignore the fact that spirits need humans to live. You see, humans die, and become those shadows that you see on the train. Few humans become whole spirits, such as you and Rin. Yes, Rin was a human once, but that's a story for her to tell another time. Back to the Druids. Since they hate humans so, they've done many things to them. Enslaved them for eternity, or killed them even. Being killed sounds worse, but that's the better end of the deal."

Rin picked up the story, allowing Kamajii to focus fully on his work. "You know that humans can't live here for eternity, so the Druids had to make them spirits. This can only happen when a human dies, or when a human looks back while crossing the river. The Druids made up spells to force humans to die, and force their spirits to accept the magic of this world. More importantly, their magic. So, when the human becomes a spirit, they are reborn with the knowledge that the Druids are superior, and they must do everything that are told to do."

"They're basically servents…" I whispered, "Servants against their own will…"

"Exactly. It's not pretty. I suppose that no one wanted to tell you because they didn't know how you would react to the news. But, I believe that you should know." Kamajii explained, turning his head to look at me sadly.

I nodded, and left the boiler room without a word to either of them. I needed to think. Why couldn't Haku tell me this? Was he afraid that he wouldn't be able to handle it because I used to be a fragile, ten year old human? Well, he's got something else coming his way.

* * *

As I walked back to my office, I thought back on what Kamajii and Rin had told me. Why did Haku keep this from me when I'd been asking about it all afternoon, and more importantly, why did the Druids want him in the first place?

My thoughts were interrupted when I ran into Kasumi in the hallway.

"There you are!" she said, exasperated.

"Yes, here I am. Why are you looking for me?" I asked.

She smiled. "Haku asked you to have dinner with him."

"You didn't say yes for me, did you?" I questioned her, frowning.

Her smile slipped. "I'm sorry… I thought that it was okay."

I shook my head, forcing a smile. "It's all right, I'm just a little confused right now, that's all." I told her, the both of us walking back to my rooms.

"What are you confused about?"

I sighed. "I asked Haku to tell me more about the Druids all afternoon, and he avoided my questions. So, I went to go ask Kamajii and Rin about it. What they told me was disturbing, but it wasn't anything that I couldn't handle. I'm just confused about why Haku wouldn't tell me."

Kasumi shook her head. "I don't know either Chihiro, but knowing Haku, I'm sure he has his reasons."

"Speaking of knowing him, you knew him before I came along, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did. Wait, no! Not like that! No, no, no! Haku's like my older brother, I can't imagine myself seeing him, ever. I found him, barely alive on the steps a few hours after he lost his river because the humans built it in. I brought him to the bathhouse, got us both jobs, and nurtured him back to health. I understood his pain, seeing as I had lost my river a few months before."

I starred at her in amazement. "You had a river?"

She giggled, "Well, I wouldn't call it a river, more like a creek or stream. They don't last long, so I was expecting it."

"I'm sorry…"

"Eh, I'm over it. I've left and found my stream twice now. I could go look for it now that I know my name, but I give up. Being separated too many times begins to hurt."

* * *

"Now, Chihiro, put this on." Kasumi ordered, holding out a crimson gown.

I grimaced. "Do I have anything besides some shade of gold or red?"

She smiled, and went back to my wardrobe. "You have a sky blue one…"

"I still have that one? Oh, I love it!" I cried, dashing over to the wardrobe and ripping the dress off of the hanger. "I hope it still fits!"

Once I had gotten dressed, I let Kasumi mess with my hair. I believe that it's one of her favorite things to do. I think she loves my long hair… personally, I'm getting tired of taking care of it. She settled for leaving it down, parting it to the side, and clipping half of it back.

"There. You're going to knock Haku off his feet." She said happily, stepping back to admire her handiwork.

I laughed, "I need more than this to make him speechless."

Kasumi tapped her forefinger against her cheek thoughtfully. "Yes you do… here. I'm going to alter your dress a bit. Imagine what you want it to look like…"

I closed my eyes, and thought about the design of a dress that I envisioned as a ten year old girl. It would have never worked, considering I didn't have the right body for it, and I had no place to wear it. When I opened my eyes, I smiled at Kasumi's surprise.

I was wearing a deep jade green dress with a scoop neck that went dangerously low. The dress hung off my shoulders, and the sleeves were the same shade of the dress, only in a transparent silk. I knew that having divided riding skirts was a good idea, so I altered my dream dress a bit to include black slashes of extra material, allowing me to ride on Haku's back.

"Wow Chihrio… you look amazing." Kasumi breathed, "Haku isn't going to be speechless… he's going to be dumbstruck."

* * *

((Haku's POV))

I awaited Chihiro's arrival nervously in the lobby of the bathhouse. I had planned a riverside dinner for her, and I hoped that she would enjoy it. I heard someone coming into the room, and I looked eagerly toward the door. I frowned slightly when I saw Kasumi sneak through.

"Ssh! You never saw me, all right?" She whispered, striding over to me.

"Why did I never see you?" I whispered back, looking at her strangely.

"I just have to let you know that whatever Chihiro is wearing, it was completely her idea. I changed one of her dresses to what she wanted it to look like because she was sick of red and gold."

I smiled. "I can imagine that. You have no idea how much I would like to wear those colors."

Kasumi gave a slight grimace. "Right, so, anything she's wearing… it wasn't me." She said, and dashed out of the room. I looked at her retreating figure, completely bewildered.

"Haku? Is something wrong?" A soft voice asked me. I snapped my head around to face the speaker. I knew my mouth dropped open a few inches.

There stood Chihiro in the most beautiful gown I've ever seen. The colors of the dress complemented her skin tone wonderfully… wait, her colors!

_JADE AND BLACK_! **My** colors!

My heart swelled when I saw them on her. They looked so much better on her then they ever would on me. "Those colors… they suit you." I whispered to her, offering her my arm.

She looked at me for a while, and then blushed. I knew she just realized what she was implying by wearing them. Being my woman, mistress, mate, all of the above, or someone that I deeply loved and vice versa. "Haku… oh my, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean anything-"

"I know you meant well." I said softly, and her face fell. My heart plummeted to the floor; I knew that she didn't mean any harm. Then it hit me. She thinks I'm mad or upset about it! I'm far from that; I'm touched! I smiled warmly down at her, hoping that I would be able to fix this. "I'm actually honored that you would pick to wear my colors. I must say, you look stunning in them, better than me actually."

She jerked her head up to stare at me in shock. "But you wear your colors best!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? I'm seeing the evidence that proves it wrong standing right in front of me. You look positively radiant."

She blushed. "You flatter me too much." She mumbled.

I chuckled, "I don't flatter you too much, I flatter you just the right amount." I told her, offering her my arm.

* * *

The flight to our dinner spot was wonderful, and the dinner that followed was amazing. When we finished eating, Chihiro spoke slowly.

"Haku… why wouldn't you tell me about the Druids?"

I paused with my glass halfway to my lips. I knew that she would ask, it was just a matter of time before she did. I set the glass down with a deep sigh. "I wanted to tell you, but-"

"You didn't think that I could handle it."

"No! No, that wasn't it at all! It was just…" I began, but I trailed off, trying to sort out what I was going to say.

But she took this as I didn't know what to say. She gracefully stood up and walked away.

"Chihiro! Wait!" I called after her, standing up. I followed her for a few minutes, realizing that she was moving pretty fast for someone that wasn't running. I heard a scream, and my heart rose to my throat. "Chihrio." I whispered. My fear grew to anger, and I flew close to the ground. If Chihrio was in danger… and whoever was threatening her… they were in some serious trouble.

* * *

"Let me go!" She screamed, struggling against her captor. I flew into the meadow, and landed on my feet. I shot out a stream of water from my hand, and it wrapped around Chihiro's upper body, startling her almost kidnapper. I pulled the stream of water back to me, her along with it. When she was close enough, I grabbed her arm and pulled her close to me, wrapping an arm around her waist the other on her shoulder.

"Who are you?" I hissed, "And how dare you try to take her under my nose!"

"Forgive me for insulting you, oh mighty dragon." A voice drawled from the shadows. Chihiro's kidnapper stepped fully into the light, revealing half a face that I never wanted to see again. When I mean half a face, I was starring at someone who greatly resembled Kallisto. My fears were confirmed when the man introduced himself.

He had blonde hair paler than the mind could conceive pale to be, with ocean blue eyes that glittered maciously. He was medium height, and broad shouldered. His stance was relaxed and easy, but I know a fighting stance when I see one.

"You may recognize me, but my name is Phobos. I'm here under orders to kidnap you actually Haku, but I saw this beautiful maid… and I just couldn't resist. She was wearing your colors and everything. Did you find yourself a girl for the year?"

"You understand nothing." I spat, "Leave. You failed, tell your precious mother that you failed. Let's see how she takes that, having her own son admitting defeat!"

"Who said I was going back? I'm not leaving until I have one of you. But, seeing as I am far outmatched… I'll leave, for now. Don't worry, I might just take both of you next time. But… I think I might keep this lovely maiden for myself…"

"You, _will_ not touch her, **ever**." I said angrily, holding Chihiro closer.

Phobos laughed, "Oh, are we getting territorial now, dragon? I hate to break it to you, she might not be yours for long."

"If you think you will ever have her, you will have to pry her from my cold, lifeless hands." I whispered fiercely, my words cutting through the night air.

Phobos inclined his head. "That can be arranged." He told me, and disappeared into the shadows. "But remember… one of you will be mine before I give up."

* * *

Once I heard no movement among the trees, I swung Chihiro onto my back and transformed. I flew fast and hard back to the bathhouse. When we landed on the bridge, she stood in my path, forcing me to stop.

"You are not taking another step until you explain things to me!" She told me sternly.

I closed my eyes and sighed, "Chihiro…"

"I mean it! Tell me now!"

I opened my eyes and looked at her softly. "All right." I whispered, and proceeded to tell her everything. Who my uncle was, who the main leaders of the Druids were, the whole deal. She didn't interrupt me once.

When I was done, she blinked. "That's it? That's what you didn't want to tell me? You've got to be kidding me."

I starred at her in disbelief. "It doesn't bother you that I'm related to members of the Druids?"

"No." she said, rolling her eyes. "It's not you that's one, so why should I be worried? I'll only become worried when you're captured, or worse." She said, her voice lowering itself to a whisper.

I grabbed her by the shoulders, "I'm not going to die in this, I promise. I'll be there to save you or just make sure that you're happy. I'm not going to leave you." I told her softly, but firmly.

She smiled up at me. "Thank you." She whispered. I smiled down at her, and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. But, she moved her head up more by accident…

Our lips met. I felt fire rush up through my veins. I was startled sure, but it didn't last long. Chihiro didn't seem to mind. She slid her hands up to rest on my chest, and I pulled her closer. She wasn't fighting it, so I'll be damned if I started. One of my arms slipped down to wrap around her waist, and my free hand cradeled the back of her neck. My mind was screaming me to stop, that this was to fast. I listened, and I pulled away with a gasp.

"Chihiro, I'm sorry, I-"

She cut me off by pulling me back down to her. My heart swelled. Well, it's nice to know that I'm not going to be hurt for this. I felt Chihiro completely meld into me, and my insides flipped. Now I knew that if I didn't stop, things were going to get out of control way to fast for me to handle. I broke away again and rested my forehead against her hair.

"Chihiro…"

"It's okay, I didn't mind… if you didn't figure that out." She said, giggling.

"No, I shouldn't have done that, and-"

"Oh shut up. I told you it didn't matter to me… does it bother you?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. She lifted her head to look into my face. "Haku?" she asked softly, looking into my eyes. I could see some hurt and wariness in her gaze… I hated them there.

"I… I just wanted to admit it more… appropriately. This… this was unexpected."

"Haku, I've noticed that a lot of things in my life, and in yours, have been unexpected. I kind of expect unexpected things to happen. Now, I'm tired, so let's both sleep on this. We'll talk in the morning, or sometime soon. Don't put it off though, all right?"

I nodded, "I promise." I told her, and then grinned.

"What?"

I couldn't help it, I liked the fire that ran through my veins when I kissed her. I leaned down, and gently kissed her, slowly easing my lips over hers. Her hold on my shirt tightened. I slowly pulled away, and kissed her forehead like I originally planned to do.

"You have… have to quit doing that." She gasped out, smiling.

I smiled back down at her. "Is that an order?"

"I'm… I'm not sure." She told me honestly, and the both of us laughed under the starlit sky. If I only knew… if I only knew how long we still had together…

Chihiro... I'm so sorry...

* * *

A/N: This is the most reviews I have EVER gotten from people on any story that I have ever written. Thank you so much everyone! Did we like HakuxChihiro fluff? Yes? Good!

_Thanks goes to:_

**Tailz the Great  
Goddess of Grammar  
firefairy713  
Kaliawai512  
Wings of Tears  
tsuki miko  
Allura Arwen  
MabuiMiyoko  
Giddyupgal  
Addicted to Magenta**

There were so many of you, and I'm in a time crunch! I'll respond to yourreviews when I have time, Ipromise!

Disclaimer:Nothing...ziltch,zip, nada.

Read and reivew, and thank you so much who reviewed last chapter!

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_


	7. The Capture

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 7**

_The Capture

* * *

_

Kallisto paced her study, trying to remain calm with her youngest son. She stopped her pacing, and looked at him square in the eye. "Perun… explain to me again why you are so determined to push me over the edge?"

Perun remained emotionless. "It's not my intention Mother-"

"If it's not your intention, quit doing it! I want you to help your brother Phobos capture Haku. Now, get out of my sight!" Kallisto yelled. Her son bowed, and left her office. She continued to pace, becoming increasingly frustrated with him.

Why did he have to be such a pain? He was the Leader of the First Squadron! He can't just do things that can possibly harm the Druids! Trying to release prisoners certainly falls into that category! Kallisto continued to pace, her fiery red hair falling out of its pins. She sighed, and pulled them all out. Her hair cascaded down to the middle of her back, and her green eyes were livid.

She would get Perun to accept his position among the Druids, even if she had to do it by force.

* * *

Perun sighed as he walked along the halls of the Druids fortress. He hated this, being a Druid. But, he was born into this world and he just couldn't run away from it. How he wished he could, but he had tried all ready. In fact, that was why his mother had been so angry with him.

He had tried to free some of the humans they had captured to become their slaves. Perun knew that he couldn't make much of a difference with his mother in charge, but he just couldn't stand there, watching the spells be preformed. The humans would scream, beg for mercy, anything they could do to stop the pain. Most didn't survive, but his mother couldn't care less.

He hated it. He hated the Druids and everything they stood for. Phobos, his older brother on the other hand, loved the Druids and would do anything for them.

Perun passed by a mirror, and stopped. He stood in front of his, and studied his reflection. He looked nothing like his brother, nothing like his mother. So, he assumed he looked a lot like his father. Perun didn't grow up knowing his father, although he had a _very_ good idea about who it was. It was easily Odin, his mother's general. But, Odin and Kallisto both are known for being unable to control their temper when they become to angry. Phobos doesn't hold out long, but Perun can hold his tongue, and not show any emotion whenever he wants.

Perun saw a tall young man looking at him. He wasn't broad shouldered, yet he was far from skinny and wimpy. He was easily the best person to send as an assassin. He was stealthy, couldmove without a sound, and can fit into the tightest spaces. And that's what Perun hated about himself. Just the perfect tool for killing someone, nothing more. His hair was coal black, but would seem a deep forest green when it would catch the light just right. His eyes were dark… dark as the sea at night. Deep blue eyes, darker than the mind can imagine. Phobos's were more of a crystal sea blue, thank goodness. When you put the brothers side by side, they looked nothing alike.

Amaya loved Perun's eyes. And Perun loves just about everything about Amaya, and so does Phobos. It's common knowledge among the men that the brothers have their eyes on Amaya, and that Amaya herself is eyeing Perun. That just sets Phobos into a frenzy. Perun knew that he should back off when Phobos gets angry, but he couldn't do it. Phobos didn't deserve such an angel like Amaya. Then again, neither did he, but that was beside the point.

That was a few years ago. Now, things have changed. Perun will talk to Amaya and flirt with on occasion, right in front of Phobos even. Perun didn't care any longer, and neither did Amaya. It would make Phobosboil over, and Amaya and Perun would just laugh about it later.

"Perun! There you are!" A woman said. Perun turned to face her, and smiled.

Amaya was the leader of the Second Squadron of the Druids, and could be considered a devoted follower… until Perun took her down into the dungeon.

- - Flashback - -

Amaya knew that humans were kept down here, but she didn't know exactly what all happened down here. She saw rooms upon rooms, filled with middle-aged humans, begging to be released. It didn't face her in the least; she knew what was down here. But, the next corridor held things that she never wanted to see.

"Now, Amaya, you can't say that you've been down here, all right? This is a place that only my mother, Maeve, Odin, and I can come into."

"Then why are you taking me here?" She asked softly, wondering what could be behind these doors.

He looked at her solemnly with those deep blue eyes… eyes that she had come to love. "Because you need to see how bad the Druids really are."

"But your mother is the leader! You can't just disband like it's not a problem!" she whispered fiercely. Not only was it true, Amaya would be devastated if Perun left, though she would never admit it.

"I don't care. If you see what's behind these doors, you'll understand." He told her, and took her hand gently in his, and opened the door.

Children. Hundreds of children were held in these cells. Amaya heard a little girl's scream in the distance, and she gripped Perun's hand tighter.

"What… what's going on?" she whispered in his ear.

"You know that we force humans to be our slaves, correct?"

Amaya winced. She hated that. "I do."

"Well, my mother is discovering that the older humans don't respond well, and die. Now, she's found out that children adapt nicely, and are much more easier to control. These children… the oldest is about fifteen. They come here when they are about five or six, and learn our ways. They're taught that they can't go back, that they'll never see their families again, and that the Druids are the only spirits that will take them in."

"But that's not true!"

Perun just shook his head and continued. "So, the children are practically brainwashed for ten years into believing that what we do it right. We teach them that killing is fine, that they won't be punished for it. We teach them that being a human is wrong, and then they scramble to the mages, begging to be turned into a spirit. Those with to weak of a will die during the ceremony, but they don't care. Why? **Because they want to be just like us."**

Amaya starred at the children in these cells in horror. She let go of Perun's hand, and gripped his arm instead. "Perun… how… how can we be so blind? Why didn't I know this?"

"Because the cadets would have the same reaction that you have, and would disband. That's why you aren't allowed in here."

"Then why did you bring me here? Why did you force me to see this?"

"I can't watch you, living like a Druid when things are this bad. Once you gain a high position, you're stuck for all of time, you can't back down."

"But I'm in a high position…" Amaya whispered, looking at him fearfully.

"Not yet. There are only four people allowed down here for a reason. Those four people hold the real key to what happens to the Druids."

"But… but that's you. You can destroy the Druids with a sweep of your hand…"

"No, that's my mother. I have to do a few more tricks." He said softly, gazing into her eyes.

"You mean… you mean you want to get rid of the Druids?"

He nodded once. "If that's what it takes to get this to stop." He said, waving at the cells.

Amaya closed her eyes, and willed herself not to cry. She opened her eyes, and lifted her chin. "I'm with you all the way."

Perun blinked. He didn't think that this would happen. He expected her to be unbelieving of everything he said, and never speak to him again, get him busted, etc. But, here she was, believing the horrible truth. On top of that, she wanted to help. He gave her a small smile. "Thank you Amaya. I'm going to get us out of here, and these children too."

- - End Flashback - -

"Good evening Amaya." Perun whispered as she approached him.

"Did you hear? Phobos found Haku and tried to capture him." She said hurriedly, and Perun paled. "Don't worry, he didn't succeed." she said hurrily,"But, it turns out that there is a female spirit that had wormed her way into his good graces. So, it's his intention to bring either Haku or her back."

"Who is this woman?" Perun asked, genuinely curious.

"Chihrio. The girl who became a spirit without us doing it."

Perun's eyes widened. "Are you serious? She's the whole reason Mother is in a frenzy… having her here would be the best- Oh no. Mother would have a field day with her, making her join us..."

Amaya nodded sadly. "Knowing Phobos, he's going to get her."

"If he does, that means we're just going to have to help her escape. Which will give us the perfect opportunity to leave."

"What about the kids? I can't leave them behind!" Amaya cried out in a strained whisper.

Perun hung his head, and grabbed her hands. "I don't want to either, but I don't know how we can get all of them, Chihiro, AND us out of here without people getting hurt."

Amaya nodded sadly.

* * *

**((Chihiro's POV))**

Haku was busy talking to Yubaba about who they should ask to form the League to be able to be with me much. That's just fine with me, seeing as I need to sort out my feelings.

This kiss last night had been wonderful, easily perfect in every sense. Okay, well, not perfect, but just about. He admitted to that kiss being completely unexpected and unintentional. But that's not what I got out of his kiss. He meant that, I know he did. I could feel it.

I always thought I loved him, but I keep on telling myself I was TEN YEARS OLD. I couldn't possibly have found true love at ten, could I? I thought that it was just my imagination, but last night… it threw into shock that maybe I wasn't dreaming. Maybe I did find love at age ten? Who would have thought?

**((Later That Day…))**

I walked through the gardens under the full moon, alone. I knew it wasn't smart, but I just wanted to walk, and I didn't want to wear the floor down in my office.

Suddenly, I stopped. The hair on the back of my neck stood up, and I felt uneasy. I turned slowly, and saw someone watching me.

"Hello, little lady. I told you that you would see me again soon." A voice drawled, and stepped away from the cherry blossom tree that was hiding the figure. He stepped into the light, and I forced down the panic that rose within me.

"Leave Phobos. Leave while you still have the chance, and if you value your life."

"What are you going to do, send your dragon on me?"

"That sounds like the best idea you've had all night." A deep voice hissed from behind me.

* * *

**((Haku's POV))**

I ran up behind Chihiro and attempted to grab her, but she seemed to float away from me.

"Isn't delightful to control the wind, especially when it's the only element you posses? Both of you may have it, but it is stronger with me, and you know it Haku." Phobos laughed, and I snarled. That just made him laugh harder. "Shame that you have to see me run off with your lovely lady." He said in a mock voice of sincerity. He spoke a few words, and I was flung back against a tree. Invisible cords of air wrapped around me, typing me to the tree.

"Of course, I was saying that it would be a shame for you. For me, it's my amussment of the night. Farewell, Haku. I trust that there will be a ransom on her head in a few hours."

"Haku!" Chihiro screamed and tried to run towards me. But Phobos was faster. He tripped her, knocked her out, and flung her over his shoulder. "To bad you only kissed her once. I'll be kissing her more." He laughed, and I growled.

"You dare do a thing to her, and you'll die before the end of the week!"

Phobos tisked at me, shaking his head. "You really aren't in the position to be making the threats, now are you? Ta, little river god. I have business to attend to." And with that said… he vanished.

I let out a roar of pure fury. After a few seconds, I hung my head. For the first time in 100 years… I cried.

She was gone. Gone where I could follow. Gone to somewhere that I've never even seen no doubt.

Gone… and I never told her a thing about how I felt for her.

I slowly raised my head, and glared at the night sky. I silently vowed that Chihiro would hear what I had to say, even if it was the last thing that I would ever do.

* * *

A/N: One thing is for sure. I like writing from Haku's POV A LOT more than Chihiro's. Why? I don't know, why don't you ask someone else. ((jk)) I'm _EXTREMELY_ happy about how many people are reviewing for this, and how _fast_! It's extremely encouraging, and thank you guys so much! So, seeing as so many of you people reviewed, I'm just going to list names, sorry!

**firefairy713  
Giddyupgal  
Addicted to Magna** ((i got it right this time!Heh... sorry about that...))  
**tsukimiko  
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tsukiandco**

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! I'll reply to your reviews one of these days... eh heh...

Disclaimer: ... ((snore)) ...

**Read and review! Thankies!**

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_


	8. Betrayal Among Allies

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 8**

_Betrayal Among Allies

* * *

_

**((Chihiro POV))**

I awoke to darkness. I panicked, but a light flooded my vision. I squinted, and lifted a hand to block out the light. The person who had opened the door to my cell reached in, grabbed my roughly by the arm, and pulled me out. I didn't put up a fight. What was the point anyway? I didn't want any trouble… yet. I was going to learn as much as I could before I tried to escape. To do that, I needed to learn where I was in relation to the bathhouse, when the best time to leave is, all that stuff that comes into play while planning an escape.

I was brought to a room that was lavishly decorated. I shuddered, thinking of Yubaba's horrible taste in decoration. Not that I would ever tell her though. With a yelp of surprise, my guard threw me into the room, and closed the door behind me. I flung my hands out to catch myself, and I managed to not break anything. I slowly looked up, and saw a terrifying woman standing in front of me.

Dark, auburn red cascaded down to the middle of the woman's back. It was pinned up on one side, revealing a vivid green eye, the other covered in a curtain of hair. What is it with these people and only showing one eye? It's kinda creeping me out…

"Get up." The woman spat. Like I said, I didn't want to be a pain just yet, so I scrambled to my feet. "Do you know who I am, human?" she sneered.

My back straightened. I wasn't afraid of her… okay, I was, but I wasn't going to let it show. "I'm not a human."

"Right, right, of course your not." The woman said sarcastically, waving off my statement. "But, that's not my main question here. Do you know who I am?"

"No, frankly, I don't."

The woman's eye twitched. "Really? What a pity… you should know. Well, my name, would be Kallisto, Leader of the Druids. All those stories you've heard about me? Yes, I will happily admit they are true."

I contained my fear. If I wanted to make a ruckus, I would make sure that it didn't concern her in the slightest. I don't even think Haku would try his luck against her… I don't even think Yubaba would consider it either. I lifted my chin in the slightest, showing her that I didn't care much.

She brushed her hair to the side, revealing both of her green eyes, which were narrowed to the point where they were mere slits. "You'll show me more respect, girl."

"Not until you show me some." I retorted coolly and calmly. Well, so much for not pissing her off…

"Well, you are certainly feisty… perhaps my son can take care of that…" she said with an evil smirk. "Perun!"

"Yes?" a low male voice asked, stepping into the room. My eyes widened despite my efforts. He looked so much like Haku! When did this happen! Haku isn't related to anyone and he doesn't have any siblings… does he?

"This, girl, is my youngest son, Perun. He will show you what happens when you cross the Druids, especially me." Kallisto explained, and snapped. A whip appeared in her hand, and she gave it to him. "Don't hold back." She told him, and stepped back. He came to stand in front of me.

I met his dark blue gaze, and held it. I didn't show fear… at least I hope I didn't. He seemed to look inside me, and then out of the corner of his eye, he looked at his mother. She gave him a glare, and then he directed his focus back to me. I gave him a level look, not once looking away. He gave me a slight nod, and I gave a small start. What was he planning to do?

He threw the whip to the side, and glared at his mother. "She doesn't deserve it."

Kallisto seemed to emitsteam. "What are you talking about? It's not your position to judge my actions!"

"You're right, it's not. But, it's my job to judge mine. Beating her is going against what I believe she deserves." He said coolly, and left the room without a word.

She looked at me and snarled. "Get out of my sight."

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I was thrown back into my cell, my hopes down in the dirt. There was no way I was going to get out of here. When I tried to warm myself, I noticed that my cell seemed to weaken my power, thus I couldn't do any magic from within my cell. The halls, especially the doorway to the dungeons are guarded heavily. I swear some of these guards sole duty is to make sure that I'm where I'm supposed to be. How in the world am I going to get out of here?

* * *

**((Haku's POV))**

I paced in my office, thinking hard. We had no idea where the Druids were, let alone if Chihiro was all right. How could I have let something like this happen? How? And more importantly, wouldn't the benefit more if they had me? She can't be of much use to them… she just can't be. What power does she hold that I haven't all ready seen?

A knock interrupted my thoughts. "Who is it?" I snapped. To my bewilderment, the door didn't open, but my window did. A black figure closed the door behind them, and drew back their hood. "Who are you?" I asked in a low tone.

"I don't mean harm, I promise." The woman said in a light voice, meeting my gaze. I found myself starring into a pair of deep, maroon eyes. "My name is Amaya. Now, I understand that Chihiro has been taken by the Druids."

"That's old news. What do you mean by it?" I asked, growing wary.

"I know where their stronghold is, and it would be my pleasure to take you." Amaya said evenly, watching for my response.

"You're with them!" I spat, drawing my sword.

"I will not deny it, but I am against them. You have my word that I will not harm you or anyone of the League."

"And I'm supposed to believe that?"

"I swear it on my honor as a spirit of the earth." She said softly, and my eyes widened. No one made oaths like that anymore. If you swore on your element, and then broke it… let's just put it as it was absolutely the last thing you would ever do.

"Daughter of the Earth? Do your leaders know?"

"Of course not." Amaya smiled, "They would throw me into performing the spells… that are required to be preformed."

I winced slightly, knowing what she was referring to. "Perfect sense. But why do you offer me help? What's in it for you?"

"So I can leave. I hate the Druids. I was born into it, just as my best friend."

"Who is this 'best friend' of yours?" I asked her, leaning against the edge of my desk, putting my sword away. I kept a hand on the hilt, just in case she tried something bold.

"Perun."

I didn't try to hide my shock, and I moved my hand away from my sword. "Perun? Kallisto's-"

"Youngest son, yes. He showed me the true horrors of what we do… and it's a lot more horrible than you think."

I shook my head. "I have a hard time believing that…"

"Children who are captured at age five, then raised thinking that our ways are right. Learning to torture humans when they are one themselves… telling them that humans are a disgrace so they practically scramble to become a spirit. If you can tell me you've heard worse, you need to tell me what you've heard." Amaya said icily, watching my reaction.

I had looked away from her face throughout her explanation. "All right, you've got me there." I said softly,then returned her hard gaze."But, eventhough you have sworn to help me and the League, no one will believe you. You are the Leader of the Second Squadron, are you not?"

"I am."

"Then there's not doubt about it. You'll be shot if you're found here in the bathhouse, unless you have my protection."

"What sort of protection?" Amaya asked warily.

I smiled, and went behind my desk. I opened a drawer, and pulled out a medallion. Amaya's eyes widened when she saw exactly what it was. A silver dragon wrapped around a small clear stone, hanging from a piece of black leather. I put it around her neck, and she tucked it underneath her shirt.

"This will block any opposing magic that may be thrown at you, but this doesn't make you immune to them. Now, the clear stone can hold a reserve of any elemental magic. So, you may store any extra energy that you need in there. I suggest doing it before you sleep, seeing as filling it up entirely might make you pass out. Italsoshows you have my trust, no doubt youhave all ready surmisedas such.Now, get your friend Perun here, I need to meet him."

Amaya took a step back, and offered me a very deep bow. "Yes Master Haku." She said clearly, and straightened up. With a wave of my hand, I dismissed her. She left through the window of that which she came through.

* * *

**A Week Later…**

**((Chihiro's POV))**

I was awaken by the door to my cell screeching open. I lifted my head and blinked a few times. I was hauled up by my arm, and taken to Kallisto's office. Why did I know exactly what was happening? Because it was easily the only thing I've been doing for the past week. She's been trying to get me to talk via beatings and force spells. Did they work? No, and that's what has got her all in a knot. Kinda funny actually… well, that's the case until she lets it out on you.

We arrived at her office, and I was thrown to the floor. Out of practice and reflexes, I caught myself before my head slammed into the hardwood floor. I looked up at Kallisto, and stood up before she could even ask me.

"Well Chihiro, this will be the last time we do this."

"Do what?" I asked innocently, knowing that it would get her on her way to blowing her top off.

"Nevermind. Here, I have brought my son Perun back here-"

"You know Perun won't do it." I said smiling. This was a lie, I didn't know what he would do, and now that I said it… he just might do it.

To my surprise, he laughed, stepping out of the shadows. "Well! Mother, I think it's safe to say she knows me better than you do." He looked at me, and gave me a wink. Believe it or not, I think I've actually come to like this guy, as a friend! Oh no, Haku's too deep in my heart still to let anyone replace him, don't worry.

Wow, all of this time, I had always tried not to think of Haku because it's kinda depressing. Now that I let my guard down, my thoughts drifted back to him. Where is he? Is he out looking for me? How is he? I hope he's not worrying himself sick.-

"Chihiro! Pay attention to me!" Kallisto cried, and backhanded me across the face. The unexpected attack sent me crashing to the floor. I gasped when I contacted with the floor. Kallisto's voice dripped with anger. "Guards, take her back to her cell. But… do whatever you wish with her before you do so…"

My eyes widened in terror as the guards laughed, and then carried me away.

* * *

**((Perun's POV))**

I looked at Chihiro being dragged from the room, and then looked at my mother in disgust. "How could you allow them to do that? Don't you have any dignity?"

She shrugged. "It's not my dignity and honor they are stripping away, it's hers. Besides, they never get to have any fun anymore-"

"I used to know a woman who had pride and dignity, and would never even dream of giving an order like that to her guards. Evidently, I don't know her anymore." I hissed, and left the room.

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I walked the halls, fuming silently. I wanted to break up whatever the guards were doing, but I knew that I wouldn't last long. There's ten of them, and one of me. My thoughts of anger and disgust were interrupted when I ran straight into someone. Both of us were knocked down, and I helped the person up.

"I am so sorry, I didn't see you-"

"Perun!"

I looked at the person's face closely. I couldn't help but smile at who I saw. "Amaya! Where did you go?"

"Come here." She said softly, and pulled me to her quarters.

As much as I wanted to be here, this was kind of uncomfortable. "Amaya… what are we doing here?"

"So no one will over hear us." She said simply, then realization dawned on her face. "You thought I was bringing you here for something else?" she said, busting out laughing.

I blushed. "Well, what was I supposed to think? You wanted to talk to me about absolutely nothing at all?"

"Well, I do want to talk to you, but this is very important." She said, and lifted something from around her neck.

My knees went weak with relief when I saw the medallion. "He accepted…" I breathed.

She nodded, and put the medallion back underneath her shirt. "He did. But, I think to convince him that you are with the League too, you need to prove it in the best possible way."

"Chihiro." I said without hesitation. When Amaya raised an eyebrow at me, I explained my thoughts. "Haku wants Chihiro safe back at the bathhouse. So, we spring her out of here, and we get accepted among the League at the same time."

"Sounds great, but how are we going to pull it off?"

"Within the next week, try to get a few words in with Chihiro, let her know who you are. Stand up for her once in her presence. Make sure that she knows that she can trust you."

"And she trusts you?"

"I've stood up for her many times to my mother. She wants me to beChihiro's torturer and all that jazz."

"I see… but that doesn't explain how we're going to get her **out**."

"You see, if she knows that she can trust you, she won't hesitate to come with you when we're getting her out of here. Make sure you get to know her, because I want to get her out of her as soon as possible. Wait… your men are guarding her cell, and are currently having their fun with her…"

"WHAT?" Amaya screeched. "They are not! Oh gods!" she cried, sprinting from the room.

* * *

**((Amaya's POV))**

How dare they. Just… how dare they! My men know better, but they evidently need to be reminded. I found them in her cell, laughing and watching her try to escape their hands, but she was failing miserably.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill all of you know." I said softly, but my words carried through the cell, turning the air cold.

One man shot up. "It was an order-"

"You take orders from me, not Kallisto. Remember that. Now, get out of my sight." I hissed, and every man was out of the room within five seconds. I walked over to the woman crying softly on the ground and kneeled down next to her. "Chihiro? Please, look at me. I'm not going to harm you." I said soothingly, and touched her shoulder gently. She turned her head slightly to look up at me.

"Who are you?" she croaked out.

"My name is Amaya, I'm the Leader of the Second Squadron of the Druids. Despite my title, I'm not a big fan of what I'm called upon to do. Now, can you stand?"

"I… I don't think so…" she said, a few more tears leaving dirty trails on her cheeks.

"That's all right, I'm going to fix you up." I said, and helped her up. She leaned against me heavily, and we slowly walked back to my rooms. To my dismay I met someone along the way. But, to my relief, it wasn't someone that would report me.

"Perun!" I cried softly, and he looked up. He saw me and Chihiro and his face paled.

"Oh gods…" he whispered, and jogged over to us. He hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder. "Chihiro… I'm going to hurt the men that did this, I swear."

"After I get my turn at them." I snarled, my insides squirming in disgust. How **low** can they get?

"We have to get her out of sight." Perun said softly, and I nodded. He stood in front of Chihiro and looked into her eyes. "I know that you don't want a man near you right now, let alone touch you. So, I'm asking if it's all right with you if I carry you back to Amaya's rooms. I swear I won't hurt you. You can trust me Chihiro, me and Amaya."

She took a shaky breath, and nodded. "I trust you." She said softly. I let go of Chihiro, and Perun scooped her up in his strong arms. She clung to his shirt, and I envied her a bit. I want to be carried by Perun…

My fantasies were cut short when we began to jog back to my rooms.

* * *

A/N: You have no idea how much fun this is getting to write, seriously. Not only is it a cool story line on my part, but everyone else seems to think so too! It's amazing! Oh, I just thought that I would throw in a couple of fun facts:

**Name - **_meaning _((Origin/Usage))

**Perun** - _thunder _((Slavic))  
**Amaya** - _night rain_ ((Japanese))  
**Phobos** - _fear_ ((Greek))  
**Kallisto** - _most beautiful_ ((Greek))

Fun fun... yeah, anyway. This story has gotten the most reviews I've EVER seen in my life, seriously! Since there are so many of you, I'll reply personally to your reviews.

**Goddes of Grammar  
Violet Kikari  
wintersnowfall  
Giddyupgal  
firefairy713  
Mushrambolover  
steffypotter  
angelofblades543  
Avairrianna  
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Taliz the Great  
green.jungle.fairy  
Addicted to Magna  
annoyinglittlegirl  
LilDBZLover  
seyariu  
xXKodomo no OmochaXx**

Whoa... yeah, that'sa few more than my usualy FIVE people that reivew... yikes! Thank you all so much, andkeep reivewing!

_-Vincent'sAngel of Chaos-_

Disclaimer: Hasn't changed yet... still nothing...


	9. The Escape

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 9**

_The Escape

* * *

_

Amaya had taken me to her room, allowed me to bathe, and gave me a change of clothes. Perun had confronted his mother, and the entire fortress could hear them yelling. Kallisto had agreed to not let the guards have me, but Perun had to fulfill her requests. We both knew what that meant, and I swore to me on bended knee that he wouldn't harm me in anyway. Now, a week later, that oath is being put to the test.

* * *

"Perun, now." Kallisto hissed. They had prepared the spell that would force me to become one of them, and Perun was the one to perform it. He looked at his mother.

"You have to be kidding me. I'm not going to cause her any pain in any way, shape, or form. I promised her that I wouldn't. I don't go back on my word."

Kallisto screamed in fury. "Fine! Since your so noble… Phobos!"

Perun's eyes widened, and I began to shake. Phobos would do whatever Kallisto told him to do, no questions asked. Perun's twin brother sneered, and came to stand in front of me. He pushed his brother aside, and focused his energy.

As these events were unfolding, I let my thoughts wander. I would never see Haku again… and if I did, it would most likely not be under the circumstances that I would hope to be under. Never again would I get to hug, talk, laugh, kiss him, or tell him how I really felt.

_'So much for being strong... I'm sorry Haku…'_ I said, hoping that somehow he would hear me…

* * *

**((Haku's POV))**

I sat in the chair behind my desk, my head in my hands. Amaya said that everything would end up all right in the end, but I have a hard time believing her. I worried about Chihiro… what are they doing to her? Why did they take her? Do they need her? How is she faring?

I had been asking myself these questions for a week now, and I still haven't come up with the answers. Then, I heard a soft voice in my head.

_'So much for being strong… I'm sorry Haku…'_

_'Chihiro! Is that you? Oh gods Chihiro, stay strong! Please, for me!'_ I mentally screamed back.

* * *

**((Chihiro's POV))**

_'Chihrio? Is that you? Oh gods Chihiro, stay strong! Please, for me!'_ I gave a start when I heard the voice in my head. My heart fluttered, it was Haku, and he had heard me!

_'I'll be strong… for you.'_ I said to myself.

'I'll see you soon… I swear.' He whispered back to me. **'Stay strong!'** his words echoed in my mind. I opened my eyes, and lashed out with a whip of fire. Phobos yelped in surprise, leaping back a step. Perun dashed forward, drawing his sword. Phobos saw this, and drew his own. He was unsuccessful, and he dropped his sword in pain.

"MOVE!" Perun yelled, grabbing me by the arm.

"GET THEM!" Kallisto screamed, and the guards were after us. We were running towards Amaya's rooms when she came out.

"What's going on?" she asked, joining in on our run.

"We need to get out of here!" Perun gasped, and Amaya nodded. She led the both of us outside, and we stopped. He had no way to get out, and the guards were behind us. Just then, an idea popped into my mind.

"Guys, hold onto each other tight, we're getting out of here." I said happily, and threw a humongous fireball at the oncoming soldiers. With that delay, I summoned up a wind, and carried us up and away from the horrid nightmares of the Druids fortress.

* * *

**((Haku's POV))**

I leaned back in my chair with a sigh. I knew that she was okay, but I was intensely worried about why she was about to give up.

Just the thought of that sends shivers down my spine. Chihiro is so strong… what could have possibly happened to her to the point where she didn't try to defend herself? I opened my eyes and starred at the ceiling. Amaya may not know it, but I really needed someone from the Druids to join our side. Someone who knew what their plans were, where their fortress was, where Chihiro was.

Kasumi silently entered my study, and I looked up at her. "Yes?"

"We haven't seen you all day… Yubaba asked me to come here and see if you were still alive." She said, coming to stand in front of my desk.

I sighed, and looked at her square in the eye. "I'm fine, and I'm not going anywhere."

She smiled sadly. "I know. You know what I think? The whole bathhouse aggress with me, you really like Chihiro."

I groaned, and buried my head in my hands. After a few minutes of silence, I spoke up. "It's that obvious?"

She giggled. "In a way I guess. You're completely freaking out."

"Who wouldn't be? She's been kidnapped Kasumi!" I whispered, completely shocked at how calm she was.

"We all know that Chihiro can take care of herself, and wouldn't let someone get the better of her. So really, you're the only one that's pacing around in circles everyday. Yubaba does it on occasion… but she doesn't have the time to mope all day. Do you want Chihiro to see you like this?"

"When you care about someone as much as I do, then it becomes very hard to just calm down when something like this happens to the one you love."

"You love her! I knew it!" Kasumi said with a big grin.

I blushed. "Not so loud…"

"Oh trust me, I don't need to say a word. The whole bathhouse knows that. The gossip is just how you're going to tell her, and when and such."

"Are you serious?" I asked.

"Dead serious. Well, I'm off. Try to cheer up, won't you? She'll be back sooner than you think." Kasumi said and then left my office, shutting the screen door behind her.

I closed my eyes, and leaned my head back. "If I can." I whispered to the ceiling.

_'Come back to me Chihiro… I miss you… I really need you here with me. I didn't really know how much you mean to me, but now I know the truth. Please… come back home… I love you.'_

Little did I know, my thoughts were heard by a young woman , who was flying... back home to me.

* * *

A/N: Sorry, it's shorter than usual, but the next chapter is coming soon! Yay! Thank you to all of those who reviewed! I updated in like, two days, whoa, that never happens.

**44dreammaster** - ((lol)) Well, I'm glad that you're liking my story. But, please, don't cry. This story is THAT good... well, to me anyways. I hate everything I write, so I can't say anything.

**firefairy713** - I wrote more, aren't you proud of me? ((lol)) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed!

**Taliz the Great** - Yes! Perun and Amaya escaping with Chihiro! I wonder what the next chapter hold... dun dun dun. Of course, I have it planned out in my head. Now, is that how it's going to come out? Probably not... ((lmfao))

**annoyinglittlegirl** - I updated! Don't hurt me!

**StrugglingArtist** - YAY! A new reviewer! I like it when I see new names in my review list, I get all fuzzy. Glad that you love this story, and I hope you continue to love it no matter what plot twists I throw into the mix... hehe...

**Mushrambolover** - Whoa... glad you liked it, and I hope you liked this one, and the ones that follow!

**Goddess of Grammar** - Another incredible chapter? Dang, if my chapters are incredible, how in the **HELL** am I supposed to improve... dang it... ((lmao))

**Read and review! I will loves you alls for forevers! **

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_

Disclaimer: ... ((snore)) Why can't it be mine yet damn it? ((snore)) ...


	10. Reunion Followed By Bad News

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 10**

_Reunion Followed By Bad News

* * *

_

**((Haku's POV))**

I paced my office. A week… a week since I had last heard from Amaya. What's going on? She said that she was going to keep in touch and let me know what was going on…

Then, I heard a tapping at my window. I walked over, and opened it. I jumped back when I realized it wasn't Amaya, but a young man… a young man that looked a lot like me.

"Perun, Master Haku."

I nodded my head. "So, you are Perun… you look nothing like your brother."

"I know. It's a stretch to even say we're related. One would say we were cousins unless told otherwise. But that's not why I'm here. You know of a woman named Amaya, correct?"

"Yes…"

"Don't worry, she's a few minutes behind me. She may have told you all ready, but I wish to join your cause. But I know right off the badthat I'm going to have to earn your trust because of my name. I understand, and I'll prove my loyalty."

I raised an eyebrow. "And how do you plan to prove it? Swear?"

"That, along with a surprise." He said, smirking. "I, Perun, child of the water, swear to serve the League in any way that I can, and to protect the Haku, Lord of the Kohaku River and Chihiro, Mistress of the Flames."

"Child of the water? You're a water spirit?" I asked, dumbfounded. As far as I knew, I was the only one that had been born in the past 1000 years…

"I am. Do you require anything else of me?"

"You swore to protect me and Chihiro, correct? Then if you have sworn, go get Chihiro and bring her back to me."

"That can be done." Perun said simply, and walked toward the window he came from. He extended a hand out, and someone took it. Amaya stepped through the window, and the both of them turned to pull someone else into the room. When they were through, Perun stepped in front of the person, blocking them from my view.

"Master Haku, here is proof of my loyalty." He said softly, stepping aside to reveal… Chihiro.

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Perun must have seen the look on my face. He smiled, and took Amaya by the arm and whispered something in her ear, leading her out of the room. "We'll wait for you outside." He said, and left my office to sit in my living room.

I just looked at her for a few seconds, and then sprinted across the room to embrace her. "Oh gods… Chihiro… you're back… you're really here…"

She gave a faint laugh. "Haku… I can't breathe…"

"Oh!" I cried, letting her go with a blush. She rubbed her shoulder and winced. Concerned, I tried to move her hand to see what was wrong, but she pushed me away. She lifted the shoulder of her dress to cover something, but I was quicker. I pushed the sleeve away, and gasped.

A black and blue bruise spread over her shoulder and I couldn't even see the whole bruise. "Chihiro… who did this?"

"So, you're not going to buy the 'I fell' excuse?"

I glared at her. "Who did this?" I repeated.

She looked at the floor, and didn't look up. "Eh… men…"

"They hurt you." I whispered, dread sitting in my heart. She nodded slowly, and moved away from me. It tore my heart… she didn't want any man near her now.

"Amaya put it down fast… they never touched me again. That's how I met her actually. She stopped her men-"

"Her men?" I asked, astounded.

"She didn't know of it. Some of her men were the ones guarding my cell, and would escort me to and from Kallisto's office. It was her order in the first place."

I wanted to comfort her, tell her that everything would be all right… but both of us knew that it would be a lie. Things weren't okay, and they wouldn't be that way for a while. I never knew that it would kill me that she didn't want me near her… I wanted to wash her fears away, whisper comforting things in her ear.

Then I saw a lone tear make its way down her dirty cheek, following one of the many trails. I couldn't take it anymore. I stepped closer to her, and hesitated when I saw her stiffen. My heart split in two, 'She really is afraid…' I lamented to myself. When I saw a few more tears leak out of her chocolate brown eyes, I had to do something. I slowly raised a hand to wipe away the tears. She looked up at me, one more tear finding its way out of her eye. Then, she buried her head into my chest and let out heart wrenching sobs. It killed me to listen to her, to the point where I had to burry my face in her hair so she wouldn't see my own tears. I moved one of my hands to rest on her shoulder, and heal the bruise there. I sent my magic out to heal any other bruises, and discovered the horror of what she lived through. I healed them as best as I could, and let my tears fall.

"Chihiro…" I whispered.

"Wh… what?" she sobbed.

"I'm so sorry… I didn't fight Phobos-"

"Haku…"

"- I didn't try to come after you-"

"Haku."

"-I let this happen-"

"Haku!" she looked up, and saw my tears. She let out a small gasp, and immediately wipes them away. "I'm fine now, really. The healing truly helped. Besides, I'm happy to be back."

"You have no idea." I whispered, rubbing her back and resting my head back in her hair.

* * *

After a few minutes, I called Kasumi in. She ran into the room and hugged the life out of Chihiro, and immediately led her across the hall to get her cleaned up, and to find her a proper healing. I took Perun and Amaya up to see Yubaba, who nearly flipped at the sight of them.

"Yubaba, do you intentionally think that I would bring them here if I knew that they would cause harm? They brought Chihiro back, and swore on their elements."

Her eyes widened. "Chihiro? She's back?"

I nodded. "She is, and Kasumi is seeing to her as we speak. Now, the question is why the Druids wanted her in the first place. Any ideas?" I asked, looking at Perun and Amaya.

Amaya shrugged. "I have no clue. I'm not let in on Kallisto's big plans."

"And I know of only a few." Perun added. "Unfortunately, I have no idea what my mother's motive was for capturing Chihiro. It may have been the fact that she's one of the few fire elementals that this world has seen in a long time…"

"Aren't you forgetting about Odin?" Yubaba asked.

Amaya blinked, then looked at Perun and the both of them busted out laughing. "You don't know?" she gasped out. "Odin's been dead for 10 years. Kallisto snapped."

Yubaba and I starred at the two laughing ex-Druids. Then, I felt the corner of my mouth twitch. I smiled, and Yubaba just shook her head. "Things will never cease to amaze me."

Perun stiflted his laughter, and went on. "As far as I know, Kallisto was after Haku-"

"Which doesn't make sense either, she can't make me do anything of my own free will." I said, crossing my arms.

Amaya shook her head in wonderment. "Is the League THIS clueless? We can, we have the magic to make you work and do what we want. How do you think we managed to survive in exile? Besides, having the great River God working for us would have been a major break through."

Yubaba shuddered. "Haku… forced to work for the Druids… that scares me."

I starred at her, eyes wide. Not many things scare Yubaba. "It's that bad?"

"Boy, you don't really realize how powerful you are." She said to me solemnly, and turned her gaze back to Amaya and Perun. "We know that you swore to Haku, but I need further convincing…"

"You want us to swear to you too?" Amaya asked, leaning on her right leg, hand on her hip.

"More than that. I want to mark you."

"Yubaba! That's outlawed!" I cried.

"Hold on Haku. I want to use the more modified, and legal form."

"Which is?" Perun asked coolly, arms crossed over his chest.

"Using my magic, I would create a band that would wrap around your arm. It would allow me to tell where you are, what condition you are in, and will instantly know if you plan to betray me. Unlike the old markings, this would be removable, but I choose when and where it comes off. Do you agree to my terms?"

Perun looked at her for a few seconds, and then removed his outer coat. "Do I get to pick which arm?" Amaya hesitated, and then rolled up the sleeve on her right arm.

Yubaba held two cords of a bright white in her hands, and shot them at Amaya and Perun. The bands went around Amaya's wrist, and around Perun's bicep, becoming smaller and smaller until they were wrapped tightly around their designated limb. With a flash, the bands dimmed, and shone slightly.

"Now, if Haku or Chihiro wishes to give you one is up to them."

Perun looked at me out of the corner of his eye. "I know you don't fully trust me, even though I brought her back."

"Is it your given talent to read people's minds?"

He smiled crookedly, "No, it's just common sense." He explained, and turned to fully face me. I summoned up a cord of emerald green and shot it at Perun. It settled just below Yubaba's band, and I looked at Amaya. She nodded, and I shot out another one. When she received it, she nodded in thanks, and rolled her sleeve down.

"Anything else that you guys could have a clue of?" I asked, looking at the pair.

Amaya shook her head, but Perun nodded. "I do."

Yubaba settled back down in her chair. "By all means, share."

"Since Kallisto wanted Haku in the first place, she's planning to get him. She was going to have me lead an attack on the bathhouse to capture Haku and bring him back alive. Since I'm gone, I'm sure she's putting Phobos up to the job. She's preparing her forces, and should be here within a week."

* * *

A/N: _DUN DUN DUN_! ((evil smirk)) Don't cha luv plot twists?

**Mushrambolover  
StrugglingArtist  
kaliawai512  
wintersnowfall  
Muddbuny  
Violet Hikari  
Taliz the Great  
annoying-little-girl  
BloodHeron  
tsukiandco  
Goddess of Grammar  
seyariu  
Vorserkeien**

**Thank you so much reviewing! Hope you liked this!**

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_

Disclaimer: Nothing... but the Druids are SO mine.

**P.S. I'm looking for a character to add to the plot, someone who just screams power. So, if you have a character that you're willing to lend me, let me know! **


	11. The Threat

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 11**

_The Threat

* * *

_

**((Chihiro's POV))**

Haku, Perun, and Amaya had been talking about Kallisto's attack preferences for the rest of the night. I went to bed, seeing as I can't stand talking about things like that. Little did I know, that wasn't actually what they were talking about. I found out what was going on behind those doors the next morning from Haku.

"Chihiro, we have to leave."

I looked up at him from the book I was reading. "Huh? Why?"

"We've talked about it, and it would be better if you were out of the line of fire considering Kallisto wants you. I'm coming with you, which takes away the two people that she wants."

"What about Perun and Amaya?"

"I demanded that they went and I stayed, but they kept on shooting me down. They say they know her style and will be able to combat it faster than I can."

I smiled. "Aw, did we get beat?"

Haku fixed me with the look that I labeled his 'serious look'. I immediately went red and hung my head. "It doesn't matter, we need to start heading out."

"To where?" I asked, setting my book aside.

"Do you want to see my river?"

My head snapped up, my eyes aglow. "Are we really going to your river!"

He smiled. "We are. Most of it's underground because of the human apartment complex, so there's a house kind of built into the side of the cavern. We have to hurry though, I want to be of here before noon."

We left a few minutes later, a small backpack packed with things I may need and a few spare dresses. Haku transformed, and we flew off into the sun. I think I fell asleep, because I don't remember any of the ride.

* * *

When we landed, he lead me through the tunnels seeing as I had stuff on my back that I didn't want to get wet, otherwise he would have just jumped in the river. When we reached the main cavern, I stopped in awe.

It was huge! Haku's river was flowing by fast, crashing against the stone riverbed. All of the greenery was above us, leaving us with the cave formations and stone. The river gave off a dull roar. It was kind of barren, but beautiful at the same time.

"Watch this." He whispered with a smile, and stepped into his river. The river seemed to swell, and the surroundings changed. I starred in amazement as the stone beneath me turned to earth, followed my grass and flowers.

"How… how do you do this?" I gasped, watching everything spring to life… literally.

He laughed and stepped out. "The river is me you know, and a barren cavern **isn't** me."

I smiled. "Well, that makes a lot of sense. Where's the house?" I asked, and he pointed over my shoulder. I turned around, and my hands flew to my mouth.

This was the only thing that was still stone besides the walls of the cavern. The house seemed to be carved out of the side of the cavern, and was **definitely** not a house. It was way too big.

He walked up behind me and put an arm on my shoulder, "Well, let's go inside shall we?"

After he showed me the house and my room and I set my stuff down, I went back outside. I found Haku sitting on a rock, looking over his river. When I heard me coming, he looked up and smiled. "Need anything?"

"No." I said, sitting down next to his rock. "I do have a question though."

"You can't swim in it." He said, his eyes twinkling.

"How did you know-"

"I guessed. As to why you can't, I'm not really sure how it's going to take it."

"Huh? But isn't it a part of you."

"A **part** of me yes. My river is like an extension of myself. It doesn't really understand that other people need to breathe and such. It responds differently to every spirit, but I really don't want to play the testing game."

"Well, if I step in and something bad happens, you can always pull me out right?"

"I could…"

I jumped up. "Then what are you waiting for?"

Haku vaulted off his rock to stand in front of me. "Chihiro, did you not hear anything I just said?"

"Yes I did, but frankly, I still want to go in. I won't go any deeper than my knees, I swear!" I told him firmly, and stepped around him. He tried to grab my arm, but I avoided it. I jogged to the bank, and stopped just before I entered the river.

* * *

**((Haku's POV))**

Why can't she understand? Okay, there isn't really a reason why she can't go in… I just don't want her to. Some of my deepest secrets lie in that river, and one of them is her. I don't exactly want her to see those…

All thoughts were cut off when she stepped in. The river didn't try to drag her in like I thought it would, but it seemed to calm down. It flowed more gently now, not the raging currents it once was. And for the first time, I felt completely calm, the calmest I've felt since my river was first destroyed. I stood on the bank, and closed my eyes.

"Haku?" Chihiro softly asked. I slowly opened my eyes, and smiled at the sight.

There she was, standing in my river. Her shoes were on the bank, and the water was up to the middle of her shins. The water seemed to dance around her. She didn't seem to notice, or didn't mind that her dress was getting wet. Thank goodness she wasn't wearing a white dress today…

The tranquility was broken when something that I've never seen before jumped from my river, wrapping its scaly arms around Chihiro's neck. I took a step, but the creature snapped its fingers, freezing me to the ground. I growled, my eyes afire.

* * *

**((Chihiro's POV))**

I struggled to free the creature's hold until it began to speak to me. I stopped moving and saw Haku's furry. I shivered; I've never seen him this angry. The creature's raspy voice in my ear brought me back to the present.

"We know where you and your lover are, little girl. We will not rest until both of you are kneeling at our feet. Any resistance that you show little one will result in his death!" The creature whispered hurriedly.

I was petrified to say the least. But the thing that nearly drove me to hysterics was the fact that it sounded like… Kallisto. Like she was speaking to me through the creature.

With a cry of triumph, Haku broke free of the creature's holding spell. He spoke a few harsh words, pointing at the creature. The… thing writhed in pain, and let me go. I didn't move, and the creature disappeared into the river.

"Chihiro?" He asked softly. When I did not more or speak, he ran into the river. When he stepped in, I seemed to be filled to the brim with fire, but it didn't make me any happier or talkative. I was to freaked out and worried about what was said to me. "Chihrio!" He cried, coming to stop in front of me, putting his hands on my shoulders. "What happened, are you okay?"

I looked up into his worried emerald eyes, and cried. He seemed a little startled, and I don't blame him. He rubbed my back and kept on of his hands on my shoulder. "Chihiro… little one, what's wrong?"

I know that he didn't mean harm by calling me 'little one', but it sent memories of the creature flashing through my mind. I cried harder. I think I said a few things, but I don't remember. I doubt Haku even understood.

"Hush Chihiro, it's going to be all right." He whispered in my ear. He picked me up bridal style, and carried me into the warm house.

* * *

A/N: I know, not a lot of action, but still neccessary. So, read and reivew pleaese! I have a character so, thank you for all of the people that sent me a character to use! You should see them in the next few chapters.

**Goddess of Grammar  
Wings of Tears  
Tailz the Great  
AnimeFreakKatie  
BloodHeron  
Giddyupgal  
Priestess Kohana  
angelofblades543 ((thanks for the character! ))  
lone wolf  
Will Parry  
Addicted to Magna**

**Thank you so much for reviewing and reading! It means a lot!**

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_

Disclaimer: Just the Druids... lmao


	12. Calm of the River, Disturbance Of The He

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 12**

_Calm of the River, Disturbance Of The Heart

* * *

_

Chihiro went to sleep after I laid her down on her bed. I sat in a chair and read a book, but like my thoughts were focused. The river… it liked her sure enough, but it didn't swallow her. That's mind boggling to the end. How, and why? My river like people, and has a tendency to… pull them in. Maybe my river didn't like her that much, or perhaps it didn't pull her in because it liked her too much?

At first I wouldn't have minded if she had gone in my river alone. If it means that I would feel that calm again, she could go **swimming**. I loved it… I was truly calm and at peace. You never get to feel like that anymore, not with the Druids back. But if I felt calm, what did she feel? Did she feel my emotions through the river? If she did, then no doubt she felt the love. That's… something I want to personally tell her, not the river. It's **my** job to tell her, and not some water's.

My thoughts were disrupted when Chihiro moved on the bed. I set my book aside and looked at her. She turned over and blinked. "Haku?"

"I'm right here Chihiro. Always." I said softly, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"So… I guess this means I'm not going into your river anymore?"

I smiled. As much as I wanted her back in there, I was concerned for her safety. She must have seen something in my eyes, for her face fell. "Maybe… but only if I'm in there with you at all times." I said hurriedly, hoping that would be the perfect remedy.

It was, and her face lit up. "Really?"

"Yeah… but why do you want to go back there so soon? You just got attacked…"

"I know. Haku, do you know what that creature was?"

I shook my head. "A variety of spirits and creatures take refugee in my river, but I've never seen that one before. I would have noticed if someone new came along, seeing as they have to ask my permission to live here."

"But can I go back in really quick?"

"Why?"

Chihiro looked away from me at the wall. "I… I just want to double check something."

I was suspicious, but I didn't say anything. I helped her off the bed, and led her outside to the banks of the Kohaku River.

* * *

**((Chihiro's POV))**

I had to know. I felt something odd and new when I stepped into his river. I had to know what it was, and it won't leave me alone. My hand slipped from Haku's as I stepped into the river.

There it was again. Like a gentle flame, it was warming my soul and me. What is this? I knew what Haku is feeling, because I'm feeling it too. It's amazing, being this calm. But something seems to be nagging at me… is Haku hiding something?

As if on cue, he slipped into the river next to me. Then I identified that unknown sensation that had been puzzling me to know end. Protection. I felt safe, safer than I've ever felt. I've never even felt this safe in my house when I was young. But, then I discovered that something else was hidden in the river's watery depths. I tried to figure out what it was, but Haku disrupted my concentration. He came up behind me, and placed his hands on my shoulders.

"Want to go for a swim?" He asked softly.

I turned to look at him eagerly, "Really?"

In answer to my question, he transformed into his dragon, but he looked a little different than what he usually did. His mane seemed darker in the river, and his white scales seemed to pulse and ripple… just like the water. He looked at me with those deep emerald eyes of his, and my heart flipped. I climbed on his back, and remember when I had first swam in his river, well, fallen in really. I was startled to hear a voice in my head.

_"It's all right Chihiro, it's just me."_

_"You… you can talk to me like this?"_

_"Only when I'm in my river sadly. Now, I need to you remember something. You can only breathe while you are holding on to my horns, so don't let go no matter how tempting it seems."_

I nodded. _"I got it, don't let go. As if I would want to anyway…"_

He chuckled as we slipped under the surface.

* * *

**((Haku's POV))**

I showed her the full extent of my river, and I could feel that she was impressed and amazed. I felt like a love sick being showing off for his love. To tell you the truth, it didn't bother me much. When we surfaced, Chihiro gasped for air, her lungs relearning how to breathe. I waited patiently for her to climb off before transforming back into my human form. I smiled down at her, "Have fun?"

She beamed up at me. "Yeah!" she said brightly. I could tell something was nagging at her, but I didn't decide to dwell on it. She fidgeted around for a minute, and I was about to ask if something was wrong before she stood up on her toes, and gave me a swift kiss on my cheek. She turned red, and dashed back inside the house. I slowly raised my hand to the cheek she had kissed, and smiled. Sure, it wasn't what we shared on the bridge before she was taken away, but it was better than nothing. I looked at the house that she had rushed into for shelter, and for the first time, I felt like I was truly home. I walked back inside to make lunch for the both of us.

After lunch, I took her on a walk to… talk about things. I knew that Amaya's men had hurt her, and I can tell that it's eating away at her soul. I brought it up and she seemed to not want to talk about it, which makes sense. But, after a few minutes, she stopped walking. I stopped and leaned down to look at her face. I gave a slight start when I saw tears rolling down her face.

"Chihiro…" I whispered, holding her close. She broke then, and told me everything in a teary rush. I didn't understand half of it, but I didn't care. I just held her close and let her cry on my shoulder, rubbing her back and playing with her hair. I tried everything I could think of to get her to stop the heart wrenching sobs she was letting out, and somehow it worked.

"I'm-"

"Don't be sorry." I whispered. "It's all right."

* * *

**((Chihiro's POV))**

Haku walked me back to the house, and said that he needed to check up on his river. I nodded, and entered his vast library and submerged myself in the world of books. I felt so stupid for breaking down in front of Haku, but I feel better, I really do. Now, if I had done that in front of Rin or Kasumi, I would be downright humiliated.

Hours flew by, and I jerked my head up when I heard movement in the library. My thoughts flew to the creature that attacked me earlier that day, and I jumped up. My book slipped from my grasp, and I didn't even bother to pick it up.

"Who's there?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"Chihiro, it's just me." Haku said, looking at me oddly. "I was looking for you but I couldn't find you anywhere… is something wrong?"

I shook my head hurriedly. "Oh no, you startled me, that's all."

He continued to look at me. I could tell that he knew I was lying, but he didn't press me for the truth. "Well, dinner's ready."

* * *

Dinner was a nice and peaceful affair, and we talked and laughed the entire way through. But afterwards was the best time of my life… except I ruined it.

Haku pulled me outside, and we sat down on the banks of the river, watching the water roar by peacefully. I noticed he was nervous, and with a smile, I stuck my foot into the river. He let out a long breath.

"Unfair." He said to me just above a whisper.

I just smiled.

Haku looked at the ceiling of the cavern, and took another deep breath. "Do you want to know why the real reason I didn't want you in my river was?"

"There was another reason?"

"Yes… you see, the river is a part of me, so my strongest emotions are hidden in the water, right? When you said you wanted to go in, I was afraid that you would feel them and be able to tell what they were before I was ready to explain."

"What… what didn't you want me to find out?"

Haku moved his gaze from the cavern ceiling to look at me with his emerald eyes. "I… I love you."

My eyes widened to the size of saucers. How badly I had wanted to hear that from someone, and Haku… but even though I wanted to scream and throw myself at him, I couldn't do it. I was frozen on the spot. I was happy, but I was in too much shock. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't move.

When I saw his face fall, I knew then that whatever I would say now would change nothing. I reached out a hand to grab his, but he stood up. I watched him walk inside the house without a word to me. I hung my head, tears rolling down my face.

My father always teased that I would be a heart breaker.

He was right. I am.

* * *

I slipped inside, and went to bed. I wanted to talk to him, but I knew he wouldn't listen, or it wouldn't help my current situation any. So, I dressed for bed in silence, and climbed into bed. Now everything about this house seemed cold, even my bed. I shut my eyes, and sleep overcame me.

_I was running, but from what I couldn't see. I just knew that I had to keep running. Then, whoever was chasing me caught up with me, and threw me down. I heard Kallisto's cackling laugh, and my world went black._

_I woke up to find myself in some unknown room. But judging by the weapons that lined the walls, and the heap of a body in the middle, I assumed it was a torture room. I shuddered, 'Why am I here?' I thought. Then, I noticed people dressed in black come into the room, and chain the man to a post. Then I realized who it was._

_**Haku**. _

_My heart broke, and I screamed as loud as I could, but nothing worked. Every strike from the whip that rained down on his back, I let out a tear. Then, someone spoke._

"_Where is she?"_

_Haku glared up. "I'm not saying a word. No matter what you do to me, you won't hear what you want."_

_My vision faded to black, but I heard a body hit the floor._

_"We know where you and your lover are, little girl. We will not rest until both of you are kneeling at our feet. Any resistance that you show little one will result in his death!" Kallisto whispered in my ear…_

I awoke with a jolt, fear running through my veins. I scrambled out of bed, and ran outside toward Haku's room. Even if he didn't want to talk to me, he was going to face me. I needed to see him, and prove my dream wrong.

* * *

**((Haku's POV))**

I had resolved to do nothing about today. I would act a little distant; things can't just go back to normal immediately. I looked up from my book when I heard I thud outside of my room. I set it down, and poked my head outside.

"Chihiro!" I cried, coming to kneel beside her. "What's wrong?"

She jerked her head up and looked at me, relief etched into her face. With a sob, she threw herself at me and cried. I stiffened; completely unaware of what was wrong. But, when I heard her sobs, and felt her shaking against my chest… I couldn't ignore it. I sat down on the floor, and pulled in her into my lap.

"Chihiro… what is it?"

"They… they had you…"

"Who had me?"

"Kallisto… she had you, she was torturing you…" she gasped out, and I froze. I've had that dream before I think. I had it last night, but I saw them torturing _her_. 'Someone is trying to get to us,' I thought to myself, 'but it won't work.'

"It's all right Chihiro, I'm not going anywhere, and neither are you." I whispered. Slowly her sobs subsided.

"Please… Haku, I don't want to be alone."

"And you won't." I said, standing up. I led her into my room and put her into the bed. "Sleep Chihiro." I said softly. She nodded and closed her eyes as I went back to my book.

But I couldn't read. I set it down, turned off the lamp, and crawled into bed next to her. She unconsciously turned over and buried her head in my shoulder. My heart was hurting, but she needed support, and I gave it to her. I pulled her close, and soon I was asleep.

* * *

A/N: Yes! Next chapter coming! Plot starts picking up next chapter, so thanks for putting up with this one. Sorry if it's boring, I don't like it myself much either.

Thanks to the following people...

**Priestess Kohana  
steffy potter  
StrugglingArtist  
AnimeFreakKatie  
Mushrambolover  
Wings of Tears  
Addicted to Magna  
Giddyupgal  
angelofblades543** _((According to the plan, your character shows up in the chapter after the next one I think. I never stick to my plans...))_  
**Tailz the Great  
wintersnowfall  
Violet Hikari  
annoying-little-girl**

**Thanks for reviewing you guys, and keep doing so! I love feedback! **

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_

Disclaimer: Nothing... oh well.  



	13. Words and Memories

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 13**

_Words and Memories

* * *

_

**((Chihiro's POV))**

I awoke the next morning to an empty bed, Haku long gone. Yesterday came back to me in a rush. He confessed how he felt toward me, and I had just sat there, completely in shock and happiness. Except, he didn't know that. And then I busted on his someone peaceful evening, asking to stay with him! What kind of spirit am I? Who would do such a thing?

I vaulted out of bed and dashed back to my rooms. I dressed quickly in a strapless white dress with intricate black detail along them hem and bodice. I searched the entire house, but he was nowhere to be found. Then I ran outside, bare feet thudding against the hard ground. I slowed to a jog once I reached the banks of his river. This was the absolute last place that he could be…

I slipped into the river, but did not feel calm. I brushed the thought away, and focused on finding him with my mind in this watery expanse. I found him, and spoke to him mentally, hoping that he didn't shut me out.

"Haku, I know you may not want anything to do with me at the moment, but I need to tell you something. I… I'm sorry for yesterday. I know that you took my silence the wrong way, but you're assumptions couldn't be farther from the truth if you tried. This isn't something to make you feel better, these words are as truthful as they can ever be."

Then I showed him that my words were true, and let the memories of my childhood take over…

* * *

**((Haku's POV))**

I heard her words. They gave me hope, but she can't just expect me to bounce back like nothing had happened. I mean, I wanted to believe them, but an inkling of doubt spread throughout my body, causing me to doubt her words even though I knew they came from the heart. She said she was going to show me, so I let her memories take over.

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First I was in some kind of… thing that was moving. Then I realized that I had stopped moving, and watched a ten-year-old Chihiro climb out of… whatever we were in. I realized that this must be the human world, and I was probably in what humans called a car. Yes, that sounds about right…

She ran to catch up to her parents who were now walking thorough a tunnel. To where it led I didn't know. I looked up at a tall, huge red building.

"It's the entrance to the spirit world…" I breathed. Getting out of the car, I followed them at a slow jog.

Then, the memory faded.

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This time I found myself looking through Chihiro's eyes.

_I was looking down at the passing train, but the vision quickly changed. To my surprise, I found myself looking back into a pair of emerald eyes. My eyes. I was looking at my twelve-year-old self!_

_The boy's eyes flashed with a small amount of fear. "You shouldn't be here." I said coolly. __I mentally gave a start. Did I really sound so… cold all the time? My thoughts ended as the memory continued._

"_What?" Chihiro said softly, climbing down off the railing. _

"_It's almost night. Leave, before it gets dark." The twelve-year-old me ordered firmly. The boy looked over his shoulder back at the bathhouse. "They're lighting the lamps." He breathed, turning back to Chihiro. He pushed her away from the bathhouse, sending her back on her way. "Get out of here! You've got to get across the river! Go, I'll distract them!"_

_With that, the ten-year-old girl took off running, and the memory faded. _

'Well, that was just a _wonderful_ first impression, wasn't it?' I thought sarcastically to myself as the memory faded to black.

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Now I found myself a bystander again. I watched myself try to get her to eat a berry once I found her hiding behind a building. I almost smiled at the memory. She's quite stubborn to this very day. I listened in onto the conversation…

"_-and swallow. There you go; you're all better." I said kindly, an arm around her shoulders. I held up a hand, "See for yourself," I said softly, my eyes warm and inviting._

_She hesitantly touched it, and delight made her face shine when she realized she was no longer disappearing. _

I allowed myself to smile this time. I remembered her small hand against mine. So small and soft… this was one of my more precious memories, even if I seemed to have spilt personalities at this point in my life.

My vision faded to black, and I allowed the next memory to wash over me.

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Yet again a bystander, I watched the scene without the words. I saw the both of us in the garden, just after I had shown her the pigpens where her parents were being held. I wrapped an arm around a shoulder, and encouraged her to eat the rice cakes I had brought. Then I followed our younger forms as they walked back to the bathhouse. I saw Chihiro run across, then spot my dragon form in the sky. Her eyes lit up with a childish innocence, a beauty that cannot be replaced. I smiled; she was beautiful even then.

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This memory was through Chihrio's eyes. I found myself looking in upon a sleeping room, and a wounded and bleeding dragon… me.

"Haku… you're bleeding!" She whispered, standing in the doorway. She wasn't scared like I thought she was, her face shone with determination, though I saw the fear flicker in her chocolate brown eyes. "Hold still, those paper things are gone know. You're going to be all right."

Apparently I wasn't listening, and thinking back, I wasn't. I flew back out with way I came, almost knocking Chihiro over. She ran over to the window that I flew out of, regardless of the blood that was now on her hands. "He flew in that top window!" she exclaimed, "And I've got to get there before he bleeds to death!"

I watched the halls fly past me as she ran, the colors surrounding me fading to that somber shade of black. I'm getting sick of this color…

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The memory was once again through Chihiro's eyes, and I saw myself starring out at a thin pipe, barely attached to the side of the bathhouse, and suspended about three hundred feet from the water.

'Oh no… you've got to be kidding me… she did NOT do this!' I thought to myself. To my despair, she tied up her sleeves, and tightened the drawstrings of her pants. She braced herself, and then ran across the pipe, never falling once.

The memory faded, and I was shaking. There was _no_ way she did that to get to me… I think it's safe to say that she's not the little girl that I first met at the bathhouse anymore.

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To my relief, I was a bystander for this memory. After the last one that I saw through her eyes, I wasn't really looking forward to the next occasion. This time I was in Yubaba's office, and found myself looking down at the bloody dragon from of me.

_"HAKU!" Chihiro screamed, sprinting into the room. She grabbed me, and shoved the Kashira ((A/N: The three heads in Yubaba's office.)) aside. "What are you doing?" Then she shook me slightly. "Haku, are you okay? Can you hear me?" She turned to the Kashira who were still grunting their annoyance, "Shut your mouth!" It was kind of amusing to watch the Kashira listen to a ten-year-old human. She bent down back over my form once again. "Haku!" Then, Yubaba's bird began attacking her, trying to get her hold on me loose so the Kashira could push me down the shaft. "Stop it!" She cried, snatching me back._

Boh came out, and then Zeniba appeared. Then I realized how much she went through to reach me. She dashed up to Yubaba's office to save me, regardless of her safety. I stopped swimming, and floated in my river, thinking. Why did she do these things? She could have easily gotten herself killed, or worse if Yubaba caught her. What was her incentive?

_"What do you want with Haku? He's badly hurt!" Chihiro cried, hugging my head tighter to her chest._

_Zeniba snorted. "Too bad. He stole my solid gold seal. It's magic and powerful, and I want it back!"_

_Chihiro shook her head vigorously, "Haku wouldn't steal, he's a good person!"_

My heart broke. I was far from a good person; plenty of the bathhouse workers knew that. Now, I'm unaware if their opinions have changed, but still. But, when she said it… I almost believed it myself. It got me thinking… am I? I've let her down so many times, yet she trusts me like I've never let her fall. Why does she do it? Am I really worth it?

The memory faded, my heart heavy.

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Once again, I looked on from another person's view. Surprisingly, I was having a small amount of fun taking a trip down memory lane. It's reminding me of the times where things were much easier than they are now.

_I saw Chihiro fall from my back, and land on top of Kamaji. I held onto the wooden walls of the boiler room, wood from the fan falling down to the ground with a clatter._

_Chihiro jumped up off Kamaji and came to stand directly in front of me. "Haku, what's wrong with you?"_

"_This looks serious." Kamaji said gravely, coming off his pedestal to stand behind her. I collapsed to the floor, unable to hold myself up any longer._

_She kneeled down before me and looked down, eyes filled with more determination than fear. "Haku, don't give up!" When I didn't move, she turned fearfully to Kamaji. "What do I do? Is he dying?" _

"_He looks like he's dying on the inside."_

"_The inside?"_

"_I think so. Maybe he swallowed something." Kamaji said. Chihiro reached into her pocket and pulled out a… fuzzy green ball?_

So THAT'S what tasted absolutely disgusting! Then it hit me, what was the POINT of these memories? I figured that I would find my answer soon enough, so I just stayed silent. She put the ball in my mouth, and I coughed up the seal and slug. Events played out, and Rin eventually came in. She questioned Chihiro, and the little girl admitted that she let No-Face in. **That** was something new for me too.

_"Sen, what about No-Face?" Rin asked._

_"I'll take care of that now." She replied, and walked over to kneel down next to the mat that I was laying on. "Haku, I'll be back soon. Just hold on."_

I saw something reflected in her eyes, something I've always wanted to see. She… no, she was ten in this memory; she couldn't possibly… or could she? Hope replaced the doubt flowing in my veins.

_Rin eyed the both of us curiously, and whispered out of the side of her mouth to Kamaji. "What's going on?"_

_The boiler man smiled. "Something you wouldn't recognize. It's called love."_

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The memory faded, and everything clicked. She never gave up on me, trusted me, always stood behind me… because she loved me. I took off upstream, swimming against the current with ease. I wanted to bash myself against the rocky banks of the river. How insane, idiotic, simple-minded… and stupid could I get? Other memories flashed before me, recent ones, but I paid them no heed. I just raced back to where Chihiro was standing. That's all that mattered.

**((End POV))**

Haku silently broke the surface, slowly melding back into his human form. His emerald gaze was settled upon a young woman. Her head was bent down, her eyes closed. He slowly approached her, the water not even making a sound, thus not alerting his presence.

Haku slowly kneeled down in front of Chihiro, and looked up into her serene face with hope and some traces of hurt. "Chihiro… my ai... ((A?N: ai love in Japanese))look at me…" he breathed.

Her head jerked up and looked at him with watery eyes. "I'm sorry Haku… I'm so sorry for yesterday… I just wasn't expecting it, that's all. I really do though…"

"You really what?" He asked, his voice hoarse. He knew what… but he just had to hear it.

She smiled, knowing exactly what he wanted to hear from her. "I… I love you Haku." The words lit up her face, for they truly came from the heart. "I've been so lonely lately, and the Druids have brought me nothing but pain. I just want to be loved…"

Haku laughed with relief, and reached a hand up to touch her cheek. "Little one, you all ready are." He said softly.

**((Chihiro's POV))**

He carried me back into the house, his face all alight with happiness. He let me change into some dry clothes, while he did the same. I found him in the library, sitting on a couch, starring at the coffee table. I walked in, and his head shot up. He broke into a grin when he saw me.

"There you are."

I smiled, coming over to sit down next to him. "Here I am." I answered. Haku chuckled, and wrapped an arm around me. I rested my head on his shoulder with a content sigh. Well, it was a bit of a scare for a while, but now it was worth it. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

Haku's brow furrowed, and he stood up. "I'll be right back." He told me, and left the library to answer it. I got up off the couch and followed him.

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I found him in the entrance hall, talking with whomever it was that had come calling. I thought no one knew where this place was…

"Perun!" I cried, coming into the room. Both men turned around, and Haku cringed. Evidently he didn't want me to be here, but to bad, so sad; I am. I walked briskly up to the pair of them, my eyes still on the former Druid. "Perun, why are you here?"

He took in a shaky breath. "I told Haku before you two left that Kallisto would most likely launch an attack to get both of you, which is why we saw it best for the both of you to lie low. As planned, she attacked. The bathhouse… the bathhouse is having some serious problems, and we can't keep it the place defended."

"You need more magic spirits." I said simply.

When Perun nodded his head, Haku raised a hand. "If we're coming back, it's just me."

I turned to look up at him, aghast. "What do you mean just you?"

"Chihiro, I'm not going to put you in danger-"

"Well, I'm NOT going to sit here and wait for something to happen to you! I'm coming with you whether you like it or not."

Haku frowned at me. "I can't Chihiro, you mean to much to everyone here, especially me. You need to stay."

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I can't believe it. He actually left me here. He was gone at the crack of dawn the next day while I was still asleep. Well, if he thinks I'm going to sit here like a good little girl...

**Then he's got something else coming!**

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A/N: I'm so sorry it took so long for me to update! The site was being weird for the past few days, so sorry everyone! Well, I hope you liked this chapter, cause I had a lot of fun writing it. Anyway, the character that **angelofblades543** lent to me is coming next chapter, so keep you're eyes open for him!

The following people reviewed, and they all have my highest thanks:

**Addicted to Magna** - Glad it's not boring! And yes, the Druids aren't giving up yet... oh boy.  
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**wintersnowfalls**  
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**angelofblades543** - He comes next chapter! Yay!  
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**Priestess Kohana** - I'm a _fantastic_ writer? Really? Aw, you give me to much credit ((blushes)) Glad you think so, and here's the next chapter for you!  
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Thanks so much everyone, and I'm planning on dedicating the next chapter to one of you guys! Don't worry about checking everday, that nice little email does it for you. Well, I hoped you liked this chapter, and the next chapter is hopefully coming this weekend!

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_

Disclaimer: Nothing... just the Druids.


	14. Emergence of Kentoku

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 14**

_Emergence of Kentoku

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_

**((Haku's POV))**

The wind tossed and tugged at my robes and hair. I opened my eyes to look around at the ruins that used to be the numerous shops around the bathhouse. The bathhouse itself wasn't fairing much better.

"Haku?"

I turned slightly to see Amaya in the doorway to the balcony. "Yes?"

"Perun's ready when you are."

"Thank you." I sighed.

She left with a curt nod, and I looked back out over the black expanse of buildings. I spotted a few Druids running in between the buildings. My eyes narrowed; it had been going on at a stalemate for hours now. It's time to put the pieces into play. I left my vantage point and went down the numerous stairs where Yubaba, Perun, and Amaya waited.

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The four of us stood on the bridge a few feet in front of the Druid leaders Kallisto, Maeve, and Phobos.

"Give us our members back, and we shall withdraw!" Kallisto cried.

I snorted, "You and I both know that you speak lies. What is it that you truly want?"

"I want my members back, and to see your pretty face smashed into the ground!" Kallisto replied.

Maeve spoke next, "Give us Perun and Amaya."

But I shook my head in response, "We did not force them to join us, they came of their own free will."

"Then they need to remember where their loyalties lie!" Kallisto laughed, and snapped her fingers. Perun and Amaya fell to the ground, clutching their throats. Amaya lowered her hands first, revealing a thick, black collar around her neck.

She looked at Perun, whom I noticed supported a black collar as well. "Once a Druid…" she whispered.

"Always a Druid." He spat, and let out a string of curses. He began to cast a spell, but Amaya slapped him, thus breaking his concentration.

"You'll die if you try to break it, you know that!" She cried, fear in her eyes.

The young spirit grimaced, "I know."

"Only the one of the prophecy can break my bonds! And only that one spirit can bind me!" Kallisto screeched.

My heart sunk. I had no idea what prophecy she spoke of, yet I knew this time she spoke the truth. My hope began to descend into a big black abyss.

"Chihiro…" I breathed, regretting how little time I spent with her.

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**((Chihiro's POV))**

I was sitting on the bathhouse roof, having just landed a few minutes before. I watched the scene play out, and I could hear pretty well from my position. I heard her last statement, and a level of anger I didn't know I could feel rose inside me. No one could break the bonds she set? Well, let's just see about that! I flew down, and landed gracefully in front of Haku. I turned around to face him and looked into his shocked eyes.

His beautiful emerald eyes were wide. "Chihiro!"

"I'm not a woman that stays at home and watches the people she cares about risk their lives." I said coolly, stepping closer to him. It didn't matter that I had to tilt my head back to look at him in the eye; I had made my presence here clear. My anger was practically rolling off of my in waves. "I'm a woman who fights for what she believes in and those whom she loves. Nothing anyone else says or does will ever change that, not even you."

Haku looked down into my angry eyes and smiled sadly. "I know," he whispered, "I would hate to see you hurt, but I know that you do what you want to do. There really isn't anything I could do."

Most of my anger faded away with his words, but I still didn't address him. I turned to Amaya and laid two fingers on the black collar that encircled her neck, channeling my energy into it.

"Chihrio, you can't-" Amaya began, but stopped when she felt the collar fall away as ash.

"Can't break it?" I asked, a smile on my face. I did the same to Perun, and he helped the stunned Amaya up. The five of us looked across the bridge at Kallsito.

"HOW DARE YOU?" She screamed, her hair seeming to be on fire, "Phobos, kill her!"

And he leapt, drawing his sword. I saw a collar around his neck as well, and shot a tongue of fire at it. It met the black collar around his neck, and it fell away into nothing. Phobos flipped, and landed on his feet in front of me… except it wasn't Phobos.

The man stood up, reaching a towering 6' 1". His long silver hair was hanging down loose to his waist. His eyes were a light blue with dashes of violet. His face was unreadable and hard as stone. He spun to face Kallisto, who looked absolutely terrified at his appearance.

"Ah, did you not think that this would happen Kallisto?" The man said with a rich and deep bass voice. "You knew this would happen. Which brings up a very valid question. What was the purpose of enslaving me anyway?"

But she didn't reply. The strange man snorted, and pulled out a five foot long staff with a three foot long blade at the top. My eyes widened. How he could hold it, let alone fight with it was beyond me. The man moved, and was a few feet from the Druid leader in a matter of seconds. Maeve stepped forward to guard her mistress, but the strange man immediately cut trough her. She crawled away, dragging her bleeding leg behind her. The man charged Kallisto, and her thunderbolt. He slashed, and she lost an arm. She screamed, and then vanished. The man pulled out a rag and cleaned the blade, turning back to us.

Haku was starring at the man as if he were a dream. "There is no possible way… you died in the first war…"

The man smiled, "On the contrary, Kallisto bound me, just as she did Perun and Amaya. Her bonds change our appearances, thus allowing everyone the belief that I died."

Yubaba shook her head with a smile, "I should never have underestimated you… Kentoku."

The man identified as Kentoku smiled, "And I you. What is your name little one?" he asked, turning his blue and purple eyes to me.

"Chihiro." I said, unsuccessful in hiding the nervousness in my voice.

"I thank you, Chihiro. I know that Kallisto wanted you, but now I know exactly why. You're the only one that can break her bonds."

"Do you know what prophecy she was talking about?"

He shook his head, his silver hair catching the afternoon sun. "Sadly, I do not. But rest assured, she will not give up until she has you in her grasp."

Yubaba nodded, "Come everyone, we better get inside."

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Yubaba had taken the mysterious warrior Kentoku up to her office, while the rest of us remained in the lobby. We eventually went back to my rooms, and we were all lounged about and talked about the new arrival.

I looked at Perun hard, then my eyes widened. He caught my gaze, "What?" he asked.

"You haven't noticed, have you?" I asked, pointing to a mirror. He looked at me oddly, but went over to the mirror anyway. What he saw made him stop in his tracks. Of course, I all ready knew what it was.

His seemingly black hair was now a true navy blue that almost matched his eyes. He was now exactly Haku's height, and more muscular. He was still pale, but not paper white like he used to be.

"Kentoku said that the bonds changed appearances. It looks like that you're not an exception."

"But… but what about Amaya?" he whispered, looking back at me. I looked over to the newly transformed Amaya, and my breath caught. I had been watching her for the past few minutes, and every time I looked I could have sworn her hair was becoming lighter. I wasn't wrong either.

Her hair was no a platinum blonde, and her eyes seemed to be more red than maroon. She had a more petite frame, rather than the blocky build that she previously had. She smiled. "Do I dare look?"

Perun came to stand in front of her, and offered her a hand up. She took it, only to realize that she was now about three inches shorter than him instead of being eye level. "What the…" she began, but Perun silenced her with a finger on her lips. He mutely pointed to the mirror, and she walked over. She squeaked at her reflection.

I met Haku's gaze. He smiled, and I smiled back. Then, my brow furrowed. I looked at him, and then peered at Perun. My eyes widened, and I shook my head. "Oh I'm seeing things…"

"No, you are not little one." Kentoku said, coming into the room. "You are seeing things quite clearly. Perun, Kohaku, please stand side by side and look into the mirror."

The two men were baffled, but did the older spirit's bidding. When they saw themselves standing next together, they blanched. They looked exactly alike for height and build. Their faces differed slightly, but that didn't take away how closely the resembled each other. They were the same person, only one with dark green hair, and one with navy blue.

"You see... you do not know my entire story." Kentoku began as the two turned back to face the group.

"You know what's going on, don't you?" Haku asked.

He nodded. "I do." And with that, he came to stand behind the two men. I looked startled at Amaya, and we both starred hard at the three men.

Kentoku didn't share much resemblance to them, but just enough to make it obvious. They were about five inches shorter than him, but it didn't matter. The shape of their eyes was exactly the same. All three of them radiated an unmatched confidence.

"Oh now way…" Amaya breathed.

Kentoku inclined his head, "Let us begin at the beginning, shall we?"

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A/N: I am SO sorry it took me this long to get a new chapter up here! Well, Kentoku belongs to angelofblades543 and not me... oh well... Anyway! Thank you so much for sticking with me! I PROMISE the wait won't be so long again!

**steffy potter  
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**Thank you so much guys! Sorry about the lack of fluff!**

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_


	15. Sons of Kentoku

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 15**

_Sons of Kentoku

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_

**((Amaya's POV))**

Chihiro and I looked at each other, then at Perun and Haku. They looked just as confused as us. I mean, come on, who wouldn't be a little confused? Haku and Perun obviously haven't met one another before this. But to look to closely alike... they would have to be related right?

"As you know, I'm one of the commanding generals of the League from the first Druid War. Sadly, I was captured and presumed dead." Kentoku began, "I am a wind spirit that had the honor of marrying a water spirit. She's long dead thanks to the Druids. We had two sons. One with just her element, and one with both."

"Haku and Perun." I said simply, letting this all soak in.

"If we are brothers, then how come we don't remember each other?" Perun asked, turning to the silent warrior.

Kentoku inclined his head, "The Druids were determined that I would no longer be a threat to them, so they attacked at dawn. They killed your mother, and took one of you and myself. My other son… I had no knowledge of his fate. But, I do know now. It seems that he had been doing fine up to now."

"With a few bumps along the way." Haku muttered.

"Well, you're alive. That's better than dead." Kentoku said in a monotone voice.

Chihiro tilted her head to the side. "So let me get this straight. You're Haku and Perun's father?"

"It's a lot to take in at once, but they look exactly like their mother to the point where it's no laughing matter."

"But they don't remember each other… how old were they when the Druids attacked your family?" She continued.

Kentoku nodded, "It would make sense that they don't remember one another, seeing as they were only born a year before."

"Just a year before? But how long ago was the first Druid War?"

"A little more than a hundred years ago. Spirits live a lot longer than humans little one." Kentoku said kindly.

"I know that, I was simply asking." Chihiro replied.

I knew then that these two weren't going to get along, at least not yet. I looked over at Perun. Our eyes met and he seemed to get my drift. Then my gaze drifted to Haku. He didn't seem to notice that they were about to butt heads… but I figured that he would find out pretty soon. The sliding door opened to reveal Yubaba, ending Chihiro and Kentoku's starring match.

"Your rooms are ready Lord Kentoku," she said, giving a wobbly curtsy, "Is there anything else you require?"

"Yes. I believe you have a Marking on my son? I wish you to remove it."

Her eyes widened, "Ah yes, of course. Come here please Perun."

He stepped forward, and her white band began to shine with brilliance. It slowly unwound itself and faded into nothing. Yubaba turned to me and took mine away as well. Haku turned to look at his newfound brother and began to unwrap his Marking band.

"You gave your own brother one Kohaku?" Kentoku asked, astounded.

"I did not know he was my brother, other wise I would have not given him one." He replied simply.

I met Perun's navy blue eyes, and he smiled at me. I couldn't help but smile back. Kentoku cleared his throat, and once again the room's attention focused back onto him. "I suggest everyone get some rest. Fighting isn't easy… and I'm ready to admit that I could use an hour or two of some sleep…" He nodded to the room, and followed Yuababa out of the room.

I looked back at the two men, and laughed. I couldn't help it. Could things get any more ironic? I'm freed from Kallisto, a great hero returns, and Perun and Haku are brothers? Does anything else need to pop out while I'm still braced for another surprise?

Chihiro began to giggle, and Haku smiled. Perun looked at the three of us like we just sprouted two heads. I just laughed harder, and so did Chihiro. Haku's smiled faded to a look of confusion.

"What's so funny?" Perun asked him.

"I have no idea… I guess they really need some sleep don't they?" Haku asked.

"Agreed. All right, ladies, to bed for the both of you!"

"Aw, come on!" I gasped, "We're fine!"

"You're hysterical, and it's damn scary." Perun said firmly.

We just laughed harder, and the boys sighed. "BED." They said in unison. I tried to stand up, but I was laughing to hard. Perun sighed but I saw a faint smile on his lips. "Don't make me carry you Amaya…"

Haku didn't even talk to Chihiro before he swept her into his arms. She squeaked, which caused him to chuckle. He went to the door, slid it open with his foot and left. Perun hauled me to my feet, and helped me walk back down the hall.

* * *

**((Perun's POV))**

I didn't lead her back to her room like I said that I would. Instead, I took her outside. It was safe, considering Haku was on an adrenaline rush and surrounded the bathhouse with a 20-foot wall of water. Once we stepped out on the bridge, her red eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "Whoa!"

"Look at Haku, not me." I said with a smile, taking her by the hand.

"There was NO way Haku did this by himself!"

I smirked, "Okay, he didn't. I provided most of the water. His wind element is mostly holding it up."

"Right... so… why are we out here?"

"No reason really," I said with a shrug, "But if you go to bed, that means I have no one to talk to."

"You could talk to Haku." She pointed out, walking along the bridge with me at a slow pace.

I stopped, and leaned back against the rail. She crossed her arms and leaned them against the railing, looking out at the bluish green wall. "That's true, I could. But… I think I just need time to think about all that I've just been told. It's a lot to take at once. It just needs to soak in."

Amaya nodded, "I understand. So… do I get to listen to you talk now?"

I chuckled, "No, I'm not going to bore you to death."

She snorted, "Well, that's a first." I smiled, and we fell into an uncomfortable silence. I was struggling to find something to say, but she fixed the problem for me. "Do you think that I might be able to do something like that wall of water someday?"

I looked over my shoulder at the creation, "Well, I assume you would. Now, I doubt if it would be a wall of water, but yeah… I really think that you could."

She blushed, "Thanks."

I stood up, "For what? I'm only saying what's true?"

"Sometimes I don't think that I'll ever be that powerful," she whispered, looking down at the ocean below, "It's… it's just comforting to hear that I might be able to one day, even if I never do."

I shook my head, and placed my hands on her waist, "I know you'll do it one day Amaya. I know you will."

Her body stiffened at my touch, and I instantly regretted my action. What in the world possessed me to do that anyway? My regret turned into joy when she stood up and leaned into me. I smiled, and fully wrapped my arms around her waist. "Do you want to play a round of 20 Questions?" I asked.

She groaned, "Perun, you know I suck at that game…"

I laughed, "Aw, you're not that bad! Please?"

"Whatever… what am I asking the 20 questions on?"

My insides flipped; I didn't think that she would actually go for it. Okay, I got myself into this; I'm going to get myself out. "Let's see… try to figure out who I like the most."

Amaya rolled her eyes, "Perun, that's seriously over clichéd."

"You have a better idea?"

She sighed, "Good point. We'll alternate asking questions."

"Huh?"

"You try to figure out who I like as well."

"Oh come on! This was my idea!"

She laughed, "If you want me to play, we play by my terms."

"Fine." I grumbled, and she giggled. "Let's see… is she a Druid?"

"Nope."

Amaya looked up at me, "Really?"

"I'm serious." I replied. "Now for me… have you known him for a long time?"

"Yes I have." Amaya answered, and smiled. "Do I know your crush?"

"… Yes… yes you do." I said softly. Damn, this wasn't going to be as long as I planned it to be… "Now, do I know you're crush?"

"You can't ask me the same question that I asked you!" She giggled, and I rolled my eyes.

"Fine… is your crush one of your men?"

"EWWW! No!" She cried with a shudder, "Having an affair with one of my men… oh that grosses me out." I laughed, and she leaned her head back against my chest. My heart did a few flips. We've never been this close before… and evidently she doesn't know how much I'm enjoying her standing here and not the game. Let's hope it stays that way, shall we?

It was her turn, but I had to ask this one question. "Is your crush a Druid leader?"

She didn't seem to notice my second question. She blushed and mumbled a yes. After a few seconds of silence, she asked me her question. "Perun, am I your crush?" I tensed. How in the world did she come up with that? Well, it's right… but I haven't even asked ten questions yet! "Perun… is it me?" she asked softly.

I hugged her close, and rested my chin on top of her head, "Is… is it that obvious?"

She turned around to face me completely. "So I'm your crush? Just your crush?"

I looked down at her, and smiled. "No. No, you're not just my crush."

And then I did it. Why? Good question. I'll let you know when I figure out the answer.

* * *

**((Amaya's POV))**

"No. No, you're not just my crush." He whispered. My brow furrowed in confusion; wait… but he just said that he liked me! Did his opinion change that quickly?

That wasn't the answer. He leaned down and kissed me. Whoa… I've been kissed before, but this is a whole knew area for me. There was NO way I had this much fun kissing someone before. Not to mention it didn't feel this… right. I fully leaned into him, and one of his hands drifted up my back and played with my now blonde hair. I wrapped my arms around my neck, which actually took some effort on my part. Of all the things that had to change, why did my height have to change? Suddenly, his hands grabbed my waist, and he lifted me to sit on the railing. I smiled against his lips, and he chuckled. Now I was about two inches taller than him, which was just fine with me. We eventually broke apart, and I slid to the ground. Perun looked down at me with his navy blue eyes… I've decided that I love those eyes. He smiled, and kissed my forehead.

"Perun… how come you never said anything until now?" I asked softly, suddenly wanting to know the answer.

He tilted my chin upward, "It's going to sound stupid… but I was afraid that you didn't feel the same. I didn't want to ruin our friendship with saying something about it."

"That's not a stupid reason, that makes perfect sense." I whispered, and kissed him on the cheek. I grabbed his hand, and he intertwined our fingers. "Come on, they're going to be looking for us soon."

* * *

**((Haku's POV))**

Well, we didn't make it back to her room. She kept on saying that she was fine and needed to get started on the work that she missed. I told her that it could wait until she got some sleep… but she just shook her head at me and kept on saying that she couldn't sleep right now even if she wanted to. I guess I can't really blame her.

So, she was at work doing whatever Yubaba had set aside for her to look at when she was feeling better. I suppose it was something to do with supplies and weapons for the upcoming battles. While she was engrossed in that, I was sitting on the futon deep in thought.

Why did Kallisto want us? I knew that we would be the ideal people to capture as hostages… but there has to be a bigger reason than **that**. I must have been thinking a lot more than I thought I was because I didn't even notice when Chihiro stood up. She came over and kneeled down in front of me. She rested her elbows on my knees, and tilted her head to the side.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly.

I jerked out of my thoughts and blushed, "Oh… nothing is wrong. I'm just thinking."

"About what? Don't tell me that you're thinking about what Kallisto's goals are!" She said firmly, and I starred at her in shock. She waved a hand, "I swear that's all you think about now. The information will show up when it comes along. If you're that worried, go ask your father and see if he knows anything."

I smiled sadly, "I doubt he knows anything that we don't know."

"It can't hurt to ask Haku."

I sighed, "I know… but I've heard stories about him. He's not one to think in battle, he just goes."

"Well be glad that you're not talking to him in the middle of a battle huh?" Chihiro asked, giggling. "But really Haku, he's your father. You shouldn't be afraid to talk to him. Go before I kick you out of here."

"He's probably sleeping now, I'll go ask him in an hour or so."

"Oh good! Then you can help me with my paperwork!"

"You need to take a break Chihiro." I said slyly, pulling her into my lap.

"And what kind of break would you have in mind?" she asked innocently. I growled, and kissed her gently. Well… it didn't really stay that way for long though. We broke apart, the both of us panting slightly. She leaned her head against my shoulder, and I held her close. I laid down on the futon, her small and beautiful self on top of me. I felt her giggle and snuggle down for a nap, and I soon followed her.

* * *

A/N: I AM SO SORRY. This took me FOREVER to get up, and I'm SOOOO sorry! I have only one week of school left, so hopefully there won't be such a delay next time! I'M SO SORRY!

**personwholikesgettingRs  
steff potter  
angelofblades543** ((I hope you like Kentoku so far... you see more of him next chapter, promise!))  
**Tailz the Great  
Helena of Athens** ((I re-read the battle scene last chapter... and it's pretty bad. Don't worry, I'll get better at them, I promise!))  
**Kit Kat 13  
XxLil-AngelxX  
Priestess Kohana  
annoying-little-girl  
AnimeFreakKatie  
StrugglingArtist  
Addicted to Manga  
green.jungle.fairy  
Wings of Tears  
Giddyupgal**

Thank you so much for hanging there with me you guys! I SWEAR this won't happen again!

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_


	16. Fire, Water, Air, Earth

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 16**

_Fire, Water, Air, Earth

* * *

_

**((Kentoku's POV))**

I leaned back against the wall of my office that Yubaba had graciously given me. How much had I missed? Would I ever be able to make up for it? Just how much have times changed?

A knock interrupted my pondering, and I looked at it as another knock was heard. "Come in." I called.

The door opened, and Haku stepped inside with a bow. "Good evening. I was just wondering if I could ask you something."

I got off of the wall and sat down in the chair behind my desk. "Go on Haku."

"I was just wondering why exactly Kallisto is so determined to get either Chihiro or me."

"It is most likely that you are threats. You two a very powerful spirits and I certainly wouldn't want you fighting against me."

"That makes sense, but there still has to be more to that story. What prophecy did she speak of?"

"I do not know that answer either. The only prophecy I've ever heard of before failed to come true."

"What was it? Perhaps you applied the prophecy to the wrong event, thus it failed."

I blinked. Where in the worlds was this coming from? I am coming to the conclusion that my son, Haku, thinks too much. I intend to tell him on of these days, mark my words. I sighed and tried my hardest to recall the prophecy word for word. "I believe it went something like this…

"_Those who believe they will fail, will. Those whom trust each other with their lives shall triumph over what threatens to destroy them. Fire, water, air, and earth shall win. But only if they are bound together by those whom have learned to love, will this succeed. Be bound, you for elements and eradicate the things that do not belong."_

Silence greeted my words. "We believe that it means four elements must bind themselves together to lock Kallisto away."

"But how do we lock her away?"

"That I am certain I do not know. Only time will tell. Anything else you wish to ask me?"

"The prophecy calls for four elements, but who do we use?"

"We must use Chihiro and Amaya if that is what you are asking. They are the only fire and earth spirits that we know of."

"But must these elements be pure elements?"

"I assume so… why do you ask Haku?"

"I ask because Chihiro is not a pure fire spirit. She is also graced with the element of wind."

I rubbed the side of my head. "Well, this is something new. I wonder why I did not sense it…"

"Perhaps you have failed to sense someone else's gift of wind?" he said to me with a smirk.

I glared at him then realized that I could feel the faint traces of wind blowing inside of him. I sighed and closed my eyes. My own son had my element, I knew that. Then why could I barely sense it?

"I've been told that it's easier to sense your element in another when it is the only one they have." He explained.

I nodded in understanding, "I see. Well, I think you should get some sleep."

"I will, but one more thing."

"Yes?"

"Do you think Chihiro could do it even though she is not a full fire spirit?"

"As I have said before, I do not know. Leave me and I'll think on it."

--- - --- - --- -

I honestly do not know if Chihiro could fulfill the prophecy. I would apply a guess and check method, but I do not wish to risk lives.

We could go ahead and use her, but I would hate to watch her die. Plus, it would kill Haku. I should know… I felt like dying after Lavanya did. I shook my head and told myself to focus.

Chihiro could have a child… no. One, her child may not even have just the fire element. Second, it could take **years** for the child to show their element. I sighed in defeat. If we were to use the prophecy this time around, we would have to use Chihiro.

* * *

**((Kallisto's POV))**

I paced my office in a fit. This was not going good at all! I had only one arm, and one metal one thanks to Kentoku! Maeve was limping around with the help of a cane, "Phobos" gone…

Now all of the elements have been unleashed. All of the elements that are needed to put me to rest are free. The prophecy does not say that spirits with two elements will work, but I know the truth.

They will.

I growled in annoyance and threw my ink well. It splattered against the wall and left a huge stain, but I didn't care. Why did these things always manage to happen to me? My spy has told me nothing for the past few weeks, and I'm growing anxious! I have no choice, I must capture one.

But which one?

* * *

A/N: I noticed how bloody SHORT this is! I'm so sorry, but I promise that the next chapter is going to be a lot more fun! And much longer as well!

**White Dragon 69  
Wings of Tears  
Priestess Kohana  
StrugglingArtist  
Tailz the Great  
Addicted to Manga  
Giddyupgal  
XxLil-AngelxX  
annoying-little-girl**

Thank you so much everyone! Hopefully next chapter sometime in June!

-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-


	17. Sadness Of A Man

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 17**

_Sadness Of A Man

* * *

_

**((Chihiro's POV))**

"Chihiro, could I have a word with you?"

"Sure thing Yubaba, I'll be right up." I told my boss and hung up the phone. I got up from my desk, and Haku looked up at me from his book.

"Who was that?" He asked.

"Yubaba. She wants to talk to me, but I don't know about what. I'll be back in a few minutes. Now, enjoy your book and try to relax some." I walked toward the door, but turned back to face him with a smile, "And try to quit thinking so much, it's fun to act without thinking first." I added.

"So you don't want me to think for a while?" He repeated, an eyebrow raised.

I nodded firmly, "You heard me right. It can be fun, you should try it sometime."

He just shook his head, "I'll try, but I can't promise you anything Chihiro." He set his book down, stood up, and walked over to stand in front of me. "But… I think I can take a stab at it. Will you be down in time to have dinner with me?"

"I should be… wait, was that not thinking for you?"

Haku smiled, "It was."

"Well you're no fun…" I muttered.

"Aw, do you really mean that?"

I chuckled and kissed him on the cheek. "You have yet to prove me wrong. I'll be right back, don't-"

But Haku didn't seem to want me to leave. I wrapped an arm around my waist before I even knew he moved. He grinned at my surprised expression. "Is this slightly more fun?"

I laughed, "I didn't know you could move that fast, honestly! Wait, have you thrown rational thought out the window?"

"I have."

I smiled, "Isn't it fun?"

Haku gave me a wink and dipped me back. "Absolutely intoxicating," he said, and kissed me soundly.

I didn't protest, seeing as there hasn't been any real relaxed moment for us to really be together… but I had to remain level headed. I slapped his shoulder when his lips moved from mine and to my neck. "Haku! I've got to go see Yubaba!"

"Aw, can't she wait five minutes?"

"You know just as well as I do that she doesn't wait well…" I told him sternly. As to confirm my statement, the phone rang. Haku set me upright and I walked over to answer it. But before I could pick it up, he was right behind me. He placed his hands on my waist, and slowly wrapped them around me, sending tingling sensations up my spine. I nearly broke out into giggles when I felt him begin to nibble my ear lobe. Realizing that holding a phone to my ear would be futile, I pushed the speaker button. "Hello?" I said… well, rather giggled.

Silence. "… Haku's there, isn't he?" Yubaba deadpanned.

"He is… is that a problem?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Oh no, of course it's not!" She said brightly. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about rooming arrangements, but the problem seems to have solved by itself. But, either you or Haku will need to clear out one of your rooms for Amaya. Perun will be staying in the guest rooms on my floor."

"What about Kentoku?" I asked. Haku had finally stopped his teasing and rested his head on my shoulder.

"I have two guest room suites Chihiro, no need to worry. Order some food, get things reorganized, and get some sleep. Good night you two." And with that, I heard a click. I hung up.

Haku didn't lift his head from my shoulder. "I'm sorry… I should have let you go."

"It's all right Haku. She said so herself, things are working out." I explained, leaning back into the circle of his arms. "But, why all the attention all of a sudden?"

"You said so yourself, I think to much. And you're right. I've been telling myself this isn't the time to be fooling around; my father would frown down upon me if he learned of my actions." He paused and moved to stand in front of me. I met his sad, emerald gaze, "Now I know better. There is, and never will be a good enough reason for me not to let you know how much you're loved."

I smiled up at him. "Haku, it's okay, I know you do. These are hard times-"

"No, it's not okay." He told me, "It's during times like these that I should never let you wonder or doubt about us."

I blinked, "You're thinking." I accused him.

His eyes flashed, and he leaned down with that unmatched speed of his. With that, I found myself in the most gentle and loving kiss I had ever been a part of. Just as fast as he had come, he left. He buried his head in my shoulder, and I was just content to hold him.

* * *

After we ordered and ate dinner, we moved my things to his room. Once we finished putting them away, we collapsed onto his futon. "Whew! Chihiro, where did you get so much stuff?" he teased. 

I punched him lightly on the arm, "Hey! You're the one who volunteered to help!"

He smiled down at me and pulled me onto his lap. "You would be correct, I did. Chihiro… do you remember the first day we met?"

I smiled fondly at the memory. "How could I not? You know, to this day, I've always wondered if you woke up on the wrong side of the bed that morning."

"I'd been doing that a lot back then." He whispered, and kissed my temple. "I've been doing much better though."

"I figured."

He chuckled, and paused for a minute. "You never told me about the ten years while I was gone."

"Eh, not a lot of fun stuff happened, I can assure you. I only served as Yubaba's apprentice for five years. That's when you came back."

"So what did you do for the first five years, stay at Zeniba's?"

I nodded, "Pretty much. She was teaching me basic stuff that all spirits know, and discovering my elements. It was pretty funny when I she found a flame wrapped around my arm."

"What!" He asked, looking down at me with a shocked expression.

I laughed, "That's how we found it. A flame decided it liked my arm better than the stove."

"What about wind?" He asked, smiling.

"I heard voices in my ear and freaked out. Zeniba laughed outright when she saw my face."

Haku grinned, "Much more interesting than mine, I can assure you."

"Wait… you found your elements?"

"That's the way it works with every spirit, if they have them. A child of a spirit may have either or both of their parent's elements. Elements even vary among twins, if you didn't all ready know that. When a child is born, the elements they will have are all ready known to the gods, but not to us. The gods pick when we discover them."

I slowly nodded my head in understanding. "Right. So, how did you find yours?"

Haku shook his head, "Once again, not interesting." I kept on badgering him for the details, and he finally cracked. He discovered the wind the same way I did, but he refused to tell me how he found his water element. Party pooper.

"So… you've only been here five years?"

"Yes, just five. Why do you ask?"

"The bathhouse seems a lot more loose and relaxed now. I like it."

I laughed, "The entire bathhouse blames me, but it's not a bad thing. They're certainly not protesting. Rin says that Yubaba considers me to be a daughter of sorts. Personally, I think that's giving me too much credit."

Haku shook his head. "No, I agree with her. You can rest assured that anything she tells you is the truth, or the closest you can get to it."

"You really think so?" I asked, leaning my head back against his shoulder.

His emerald eyes shone, "I do. She seems to value your opinion. That's a good start. Who knows, you may have a mother soon, and maybe a sister from Rin. Speaking of family, how is mine rubbing off on you?"

"I love them!" I assured him with a smile, "I really do, but your father doesn't seem to know what the word smile means."

Haku nodded sadly, "I know, but he's gone through a lot. I think that he remembers how to smile and laugh, but he just needs someone to help him get there."

"Are you saying he should move on?"

"I certainly wouldn't object to it," Haku said carefully, "but I respect his decision on it, whatever it may be."

I nodded, and with a sigh, I closed my eyes. We sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, but then I just had to say something. "Is it me, or is it hot in here?"

"It's a little warm." Haku admitted, shifting me so he could get up and cross the room to open the window. A gust of air came through and whipped his dark hair from his face. He closed his eyes and sighed, and my breath caught at the perfect picture that was painted before my eyes. I haven't seen him very relaxed or at peace in so long…

I rested my chin in the palm of my hand. "We need to visit your river soon."

Haku turned around to face me, slight confusion in his eyes. "Why do you say that?"

"I need to walk in your river for a bit."

He leaned against the windowsill, even more confused. "You do?"

I shook my head, "You have **got** to relax."

He chuckled, "The river is a part of me, so I always have a piece of it with me wherever I go." He explained, coming back to sit on the futon.

I got up and put a hand on his chest. "Wait, I have an idea. I need you to lay down for me, but get comfortable first."

He blinked, but did as he was asked. He removed his outer robe and shirt, and laid down gently on his futon. He was in just his pants, his slightly toned chest displayed in the slight moonlight that was drifting through the window. I couldn't help but blush at the sight, and he smiled. I crawled on top of him and made myself comfortable. He began to play with my hair, which made me smile. "Just stay still, okay?"

"Sure thing." He replied, hiding a smile. He stopped playing with my hair and just rested both hands on my back. I calmed myself and entered his mind. To my surprise, he didn't stop me.

"_I know you shall do nothing to harm me."_ A soft voice whispered. I was about to say it was him, but I quickly changed my mind. It was more than him… more like his soul. With that figured out, I looked around to see where exactly I was.

_"You are in a replica of the woods around my river. Half of it is underground, a fourth of it runs by the human apartments, and the rest is in this wood."_

I nodded and began to walk. Down in the cave, the water seemed a dark green, almost black. But now that the sun hit it… it was much brighter. The river was a stained glass image with shades of bright turquoise and blue, all gleaming in the afternoon sun. The river itself was very calm, and I even found a small cabin on the other side.

"_Do you like it?"_

"Haku… it's amazing…"

Then, out of nowhere, a man appeared a few feet to my left. He flashed an almost heavenly smile and my breath caught. He was a little taller than Haku, and had a little more muscle than Haku did. His hair was about as long at Kentoku's, perhaps even longer. My eyes widened when I looked hard at his face. "Haku?"

The man smiled even wider. "In a sense." He said with a deeper voice, "I'm something that he could possibly become. There are a few of us around here. I can assure you though, he will become what you see here in time. It's just a matter of when."

I couldn't help but giggle, "I **really** hope that it's going to be soon."

The older Haku threw his head back and laughed, "Don't worry, just be patient. However, he can change his appearance to look like me, but he won't look exactly like this until he's ready."

I was about to ask what he meant, but then I figured it out. This man's eyes seemed to hold more patience and wisdom… a better understanding and appreciation for life. "He won't become you for a while… won't he?" I asked sadly.

The man winked, "You may see me sooner than you think, it just depends on how fate plays out in your lives. Now, why did you come here? It's not often we get visitors. The real Haku keeps most of the curious people out."

I blushed. "Well, the real Haku seems a little tense.."

"And you enter his mind because…?"

"When I step into his real river, it calms him. I was just wondering if it would have the same effect here."

The older Haku blinked, and then broke out into a huge smile, "It will work wonders here little Chihiro. You see, this river is his _soul_. You'll essentially be in everything that makes him who he is. If you stepped in the river here, it would do things way beyond calming him."

I nodded with a smile. I really wanted to help, I wanted to see him calm like he used to be. I walked to the banks, but I stopped just before I got in. I turned to look back at the older version of my love, but he wasn't there. Shrugging it off, I stepped into the river. I felt a tranquility of indescribable proportions. His true feelings washed over me with a gentle grace. "I love you Haku, every part of you," I whispered.

_"Chihiro… I love you…more than you will ever know…"_

* * *

When I was fully back in my body, I blinked a couple of times then smiled. I lifted my head to look at his face. His face radiated a peaceful look that made me smile. I'd done it. When I lightly touched his cheek, his eyes snapped open. 

"Chihiro… what did you do? I felt you everywhere…"

"I stepped into the river-"

"The river? In my mind?"

I blushed, "I'm sorry-"

"No! Please, don't be!" He cried, looking into my eyes. "I heard you. You… you love me? Every part of me that will ever be?"

"Always." I said firmly, meeting his dancing eyes. They were filled with so much love and hope…

Then his eyes flashed with an unknown emotion. He suddenly captured my lips in a passionate kiss. He got up and lifted me into his arms, not once removing his lips from mine. He carried me to his bed and gently laid me down on top of the cream sheets.

I broke away with a gasp. "Haku-"

He silenced me with another kiss, crawling on top of me. He ended the kiss and looked at me dead in the eye. "You were the center of me, of everything that I was when you stepped into that river. You were all that mattered, you were all that existed. I _loved_ that, and I don't want that feeling to _ever_ go away. That's the way it should feel, and that's the way I want it. I just want to show you how it feels. Please… Chihiro…"

My heart fluttered at his words. Was he _begging_ me? I hated that thought! I grinned, and kissed him again, wrapping my arms around his neck. I broke away, and placed my mouth right next to his ear and whispered:

"Then show me."

* * *

**((Kentoku's POV))**

I hate those nights when you can never fall asleep. Sadly, I seem to be having one of them. I threw the sheets off of my and stood up. I started for the door, only to realize that I wasn't exactly dressed for an excursion. I groaned and looked at my options. I was still wearing pants, so I had two ways to go. Either I could get dressed again completely, or I could just through on my outer robe. I chose the latter of the two, only to discover that it showed half of my bare chest. I shrugged, who cares? No one in their right mind would be up at this hour. I closed my door with a soft click, and made my way down to the bridge.

I stepped outside, and with a nod of satisfaction, noticed that Haku's wall of water was still standing. I'd have to remind him to strengthen it before long so no one gets over. As if the wall read my mind, the wall rose higher and became ten times stronger. I blinked, and stepped closer. How did that happen? I stopped a few steps away, and let the feeling wash over me. I felt a degree of love coming from that wall that I hadn't felt in a very long time. I closed my eyes with a sigh, and enjoyed the feeling.

"Lavanya…" I whispered to the wind. The small sea that seemed to stay around the bathhouse seemed to sigh. I smiled, and leaned against the railing, gazing down at the bright waters below. They were a dark blue without the sun… just like her eyes. I could always picture her perfectly… her image never grew hazy in my mind.

A tall, slim woman with skin the color of a deep cream was the woman I will always remember. With eyes the color of Perun's, and hair the color of the palest blue… she was the best a man could ask for. Then, I felt her presence. I stood up straight, and felt a rain drop on my hand. I smiled. Lavanaya was a spirit of the rain. Whenever it rained, I tended to think of her. A few more rain drops followed and I smiled for the first time in what seemed like forever. A few drops wouldn't hurt me.

--- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - ---

A few drops was an understatement. Within a few minutes, I was closing the door to the bathhouse, dripping wet. I wrung out my hair and almost laughed when I heard the water splash to the floor. "Must be raining harder than I thought…" I muttered, and began walking through the rest of the bathhouse.

I began walking down the halls of numerous floors that were reserved for the spirits that came to stay at the bathhouse. Since the war was underway, the bathhouse no longer received visitors. I hoped that these rooms would soon become filled with warriors, ready for any curve balls that Kallisto throws at us. Some of them were filled thanks to Chihiro. Our forces had captured scouting forces and brought them to Yubaba for punishment. Chihiro freed them, and Yubaba placed her mark upon them. Those people couldn't go back now. But, not that they would want to. Most of them wept with relief when they saw that they were no longer bound to Kallisto. Some of the workers here have even found family or friends that they thought had been long dead to the Druids. It's a heartwarming experience, but I know that it won't happen to me. Lavanya is dead… I watched Odin kill her. Her own brother killed her… how twisted a family I have. Haku and Perun don't need to know that their uncle killed their mother. Sometimes I even refuse to believe it myself. No matter how hard I wish, I know that she won't magically reappear in front of me. But how I hope that I'll see her again…

--- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - ---

I walked through those empty rooms, and climbed the numerous flights of stairs. I stopped a floor below Yubaba's (Haku and Chihiro's floor), seeing as there were no more stairs to climb. I sighed and began to walk towards the elevator. My steps slowed when I heard footsteps heading in my direction… and then they stopped. I turned the corner, and stopped dead in my tracks. I looked around for a hiding place, and jumped behind an insanely huge plant. I peeked through the branches, and smiled slightly at what I saw. Perun and Amaya were standing in front of now what I believe is now Amaya's room and they both of them looked pretty nervous for some reason. They were saying something in hushed tones, and I strained to hear what they were saying.

"Thanks again Perun. Tonight was great, even though we decided to take a swim running back inside."

Perun grimaced, "So it didn't flop?"

"Of course not! Why, were you afraid that it did?" When he didn't respond, Amaya shook her head. "It was far from a flop, honestly. You really know how to have a good time."

"Well you're certainly a wonderful person to spend an evening with." He chuckled, completely calm.

Lavanya and I had gone on a few dates, and I was a nervous wreck when I dropped her off at her house. It took me forever to get the courage to kiss her goodnight, but Perun seemed to be having no problem.

He slowly tilted Amaya's head back and placed a gentle and chaste kiss on her lips. She gave a start, but slowly melted into him. I looked away. This was a little painful.

"Good night Amaya." Perun whispered, and the door to her room closed with a soft snap. Perun smiled and boarded the elevator, and headed up to his room in Yubaba's home. I waited a few seconds, and then moved from my hiding place toward the elevator. I passed Amaya's room, and then Haku's. I noticed that his door was open and became slightly curious. I knew Haku would never leave his door open, so what was going on? I slipped inside and looked all through the rooms. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary… Figuring that it was just my imagination, I past the sliding door to his bedroom. To my surprise, it was about a third of the way open. Knowing that something definitely wasn't right, I opened it just enough so I could slip through. I wish I didn't… I didn't deserve to see the picture of peace and happiness that I found.

A small trickle of moonlight filtered through the window, and illuminated the two sleeping figures on the bed, underneath the covers. Chestnut brown hair fanned out on the cream pillow and sheets, a perfect blend. Chihiro was laying atop Haku's chest, her torso hidden completely. His head rested against hers, and his arms were wrapped securely around her frame, protecting her from the world. They were at a complete peace, one that I've felt before. I knew I missed my wife, but it was then that I realized just how much. I turned my head away, only to discover the window open.

I walked over and closed it without a sound, and turned back to the sleeping couple. My son… and his lover. I hope that I can call her my daughter one day…

I shook my head and walked towards the door. I hit a creaky floorboard, and Haku's eyes flew open. They fixed on me with some confusion, "Father?"

"I did not mean to intrude Kohaku. I offer you my most sincere apologies." I said roughly, and left the room, completely ashamed. I knew that he saw them… he saw what I didn't want him to see.

Tears.

**My** tears.

* * *

A/N: I told you there would be some fluff in here! Not a plot moving chapter, but a nice fluff break. ((sigh)) This was orginally a brighter chapter, but I darkened/depressed it a bit during Kentoku's POV. I think I needed to get across how lost he is without his wife. Did I do okay? I'm debating about keeping him like that, or making him a little happier... what do you guys think? 

Okay, since this was a chapter that focused a little on Kentoku's past and hurt... this chapter is dedicated to...

**angelofblades543  
**_I hope you liked it somewhat! _

And thank you to ALL of you who reviewed!

**Giddyupgal  
Kataan  
XxLil-AngelxX  
White Dragon 69  
LonelyxSoul  
Addicted to Manga  
angelofdarknessfire  
Priestess Kohana  
Goddess of Grammar  
StrugglingArtist  
Tailz the Great  
shianaro  
TheSlytherinMuggle  
AnimeFreakKatie  
Vampirewitch  
annoying-little-girl**

_And a special thanks to..._ **marajade63**!  
She had been wondering why I hadn't been updating my other story.. so she found this one and figured it out! Glad you've take an intrest, I really do! And I promise I'll update soon... eheh?

THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE!

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_


	18. The Dream

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 18**

_The Dream

* * *

_

**((Kallisto's POV))**

"Maeve… I can't just SIT here and let things happen!" I roared, slamming a fist against the wood of my desk, making her flinch. "I will not allow this! I need one of those elements, I need one now!"

"Chihiro is nearly impossible to get, she's too well protected."

"Don't you think I would know that by now?" I spat. "Maeve, you are not helping me! Whom could we possibly get our hands on?"

"Perun or Amaya. It would have to be Amaya though."

I glared up at the woman, "And why do you say that?" I hissed.

Maeve sighed, "Perun and Haku are brothers, and both hold the water element. If we captured Perun, Haku just use his brother's element, while Kentoku would step in for the wind element. Nothing would change and we'd still be at square one. Now if we take Amaya, the League as no earth spirit to use. She's our prime target."

I nodded grudgingly. "You're right. Tell the men they are to capture her as soon as possible."

"We are attacking?"

"Of course! What else do you expect me to do?"

* * *

**((Chihiro's POV))**

I knew this was a dream; it had to be. But it seemed real… a little too real for comfort. I was running in a dark and secluded wood behind a woman. Creepy… but it's true. I couldn't seem to stop, nor could I run faster. I was determined to make sense of this dream, so I studied the woman in front of my intently. Well, rather the back of her.

She was fairly tall and pale, and moved with such grace that it made Haku look like he was stumbling. She wore dark, earthy colors like green and brown. Her outfit consisted of pants and a sleeveless jacket and shirt. Her shirt was green, her pants brown… but her jacket confused me. The jacket was a deep maroon with intricate black scrollwork on the hem, and it went all the way down to her calves. Since the jacket was sleeveless, it displayed her pale and somewhat muscular arms. I looked harder, and saw something tattooed on her right bicep, but I couldn't make it out. But her hair…it was my exact color and as long as Kentoku's! My mother said that no one could get my brown hair color in a bottle, and she was right. So how on earth did this woman get it without being related to me?

Suddenly, I stopped running, she continued on, and then stopped. I realized that I had "chased" her to a small peninsula that was surrounded by a sea. Then, the sea erupted into flames! I took a step back out of surprise, and watched it… burn. Then, a tree suddenly grew out of nowhere, right in front of the strange woman. The wind picked up, making the branches sway and her hair dance like fire. She turned around, and faced me for the first time.

The woman looked at me sternly with emerald eyes… Haku's eyes. But, they had flecks of silver, as silver as his father's hair. Those eyes belonged to a face that I would call my own, but it was more a combination of two people. I looked hard and saw some of Haku in her, mainly her eyes and their shape. I remembered the tattoo on her arm, and took a closer look. It had so many details it was almost unreal. The tattoo resembled something like water, and I thought it was a pretty good comparison. Tendrils of dark navy blue twisted and flowed along her arm with no beginning or end in sight.

My eyes went wide. What was the meaning of this? Why does the woman have a resemblance to the four of us? What's going on? Haku's eyes, my hair, Amaya and Perun's colors… who was this woman?

Then, I seemed to fly. The woman looked up at my floating form, and watched me float upward into the blackness.

"Hurry little one… you do not have much time… she will succeed if you do not hurry!" The woman cried, and I was stunned at the sound of her voice. It was a low alto with that tone in it that made men shiver with delight. Somehow, she didn't strike me as one to get involved with them in the first place. "Three beings must bind her… but one of those beings shall be four. Go."

My vision faded to black, and I found myself in bed with Haku once again.

I sat up bolt right, my eyes wide. Haku was up in an instant, hands on my shoulders and emerald eyes filled with worry. "Chihiro, what is it?"

I looked at him in the eye and shuddered, "Horrible…"

"What was horrible?"

"The… dream…" I whispered, shaking my head. What was that all about? But before I could think of anything, Haku pulled me close.

"It's all right… it was just a dream." He murmured, stroking my hair.

"This was way to realistic to be a dream!" I cried, holding onto him for dear life.

He leaned down to look at my face, "Come on, it's all right. What was it about?"

"There was this strange woman-"

"Did she have brown hair?"

I looked up at him and blinked, "Yes-"

"With red highlights?"

I starred at him in shock, "How did you know?"

He shook his head and went on, "And a blue tattoo on her right arm with green and silver eyes?"

"You had it too!" I said happily, grateful that I wasn't losing my mind or something.

"Yes, I did. I think that we need to talk about this with everyone. Come on, we better get ready." He told me, and gave me a swift kiss before getting up. I moved to follow him and picked up my dress from the night before. I was about to put it on, but thought better of it. I placed it on the bed and pulled open the wardrobe. I looked at my options, and Haku came over. He wrapped his arms around me and put his head on my shoulder. With a blush, I realized that I wasn't exactly wearing anything…

"Don't be embarrassed." He murmured, "You're beautiful."

I blushed even redder, "Thank you." I whispered.

"Having trouble deciding what to wear?" He asked.

"Trying to remember where that darn dress is…" I muttered, searching through the vast amount of dresses again, "That stupid, blue dress…"

"You mean this one?" Haku asked innocently, touching a baby blue kimono hanging on the end of the rack. I looked at him, back at the dress, and then back to him.

"How did you do that?"

He just laughed and took it off of the hanger. He smiled faintly and handed it to me. "I must be good."

"I'll give you that. Now, get out and let me get dressed."

"Oh come on, I can't stay?" He joked while I pushed him toward the door.

I laughed, "No because this is a surprise! I've never worn this before and you're going to be the first to see it! Now get out of here!" I finally pushed him out of the room and slammed the door behind him with a bang. He laughed from the other side and I smiled. It was good to see him in a good mood. I heard a knock at the door and I looked at it suspiciously.

Before I could ask who it was, I got my answer. "It's Kasumi. Chihiro, open up!"

"It's unlocked!" I called back.

She came in and closed the door behind her and made her way over to me, setting a big white box on the bed. "Haku says you kicked him out of his own bedroom this morning."

I giggled, "I guess you could say that."

Kasumi raised her eyebrow at me, "What's wrong with you? You're never up, let alone _happy_ at six o'clock in the morning." When I didn't answer, she looked around the room and I followed her gaze. I covered my hand with a smile. The sheets on the bed were messed up, and I spied Haku's pants in one corner, and bra on top. "What did you two do?" Kasumi accused, looking back at me with a twinkle in her eye.

"You honestly can't figure it out?" I laughed.

"I can, but I just don't believe it! How on earth did THAT happen?"

A knock startled us both. Kasumi cleared her throat, "Yes?"

"I can hear the both of you… you do realize that right?" Haku asked smoothly, and Kasumi went pink. "Yes Kasumi, you caught us red handed. Now please, hurry up you two. I want to talk with my father before everyone else wakes up."

With Kasumi no longer badgering me for details, she finally helped me get dressed. Not that I can't do it myself… but someone **has** to help me with the obi. I handed her the dress that I wanted to wear and she clicked her tongue.

"Are you sure? This is a wonderful kimono… but I think that something else would be better…"

"Like what?" I asked, watching her walk over to the wardrobe and put the kimono back.

"This!" she cried triumphantly and pulled out a dress out of the box that she carried in. Not a kimono… but a dress, a true dress. It was sleeveless with that Japanese look to it. With the high collar and everything. It went all the way down to the floor, and had gold vines twisting and weaving around an invisible pole on the left seam.

"You've got to be kidding me." I deadpanned, and Kasumi just smiled and advanced on me with the dress. "Kasumi, I'm not wearing that…"

"Oh yes you are!" she cried, pouncing. After a few minutes of struggling, she rolled her eyes. "Chihiro just **put it on**."

A few minutes later, she had done my hair in a braid and finally allowed me to look in the mirror. My jaw dropped. This was NOT the woman that just got out of bed ten minutes ago. I didn't realize how long my hair had gotten, about to the middle of my back. I think I'll ask Kasumi to cut it later. The dress was something I've never seen before. An old fashioned dress the color of Haku's eyes, only a few shades darker. I stared at Kasumi in the mirror, "Where did this come from?"

"Well, it was going to be your birthday present from Yubaba, but she figured that it wouldn't hurt to give it to you know since you and Haku finally got together." Kasumi said with a smile, and I couldn't help but blush.

Had everyone really been waiting for it? This dress really shows that I'm his… I'm wearing his colors again! But I must admit… this dress is certainly more dashing than the last… Yubaba knew what she was doing; I never would have expected her to be a fashion expert! The dress fit me like a glove, and I smiled. I was ready to take on a new day. Funny how much confidence a simple dress can give you.

* * *

**((Haku's POV))**

I tried not to tap my foot, I really did. But where _were_ those women? I was about to call for them when I heard the Shoji door open. I turned around and looked. I didn't try to hide my surprise. My eyes widened and my mouth opened slightly.

I was staring at an angel. Her dress was the deepest green imaginable, the deepest green of my river. With her long hair in a braid and hanging over her shoulder, she looked like she was ten years older. I smiled and offered her my arm. "Thank the gods not a lot of people are up. If there were, we would have a somewhat difficult time getting you to the board room."

A few minutes later, I sat Chihiro down, and my father came through the door, followed by Yubaba. As soon as the door closed, it opened again to admit Perun, and then Amaya.

"What's the rush?" Perun groaned, "It's not even seven yet Haku…"

I inclined my head, "I'm sorry Perun, but there's a reason. Chihiro and I awoke to learn that we had the exact same dream in every detail. It was an unusual dream, something that scared me a little bit."

"A dream." Yubaba said in a monotone voice, "You woke us up for a **dream**?"

Perun was about to complain, but he didn't say anything. He sat down across from Chihiro and I and looked straight at me. "Would this dream involve a sea of burning water?"

"Yes." Chihiro answered.

"And with a woman that looked a lot like Chihiro?" Amaya asked, sitting down next to Perun.

"She didn't look exactly like me," Chihiro corrected, "She was more a meld of the four of us."

"You all had the same dream?" Yubaba asked, looking at us in wonder.

"I think so." I replied, looking at my father.

"You saw all four elements… the sea, water. The fire itself was the fire, and the wind was itself as well. With the tree behind… it's all four elements." Kentoku said softly.

Yubaba looked at him in shock. "What are you talking about? Wind and a tree? Since when did they pop into the equation? They haven't even told us about the entire thing!"

"They don't need to. I've seen it as well."

The old witch threw her up her hands in frustration. "Am I the ONLY one who didn't have this dream?"

"I believe that would be correct Yubaba." Kentoku said softly, "Since you might be a little lost, you can leave if you chose."

It wasn't a choice; he practically dismissed her. She wrinkled her nose in annoyance and gathered her skirts in a huff. She left the room, shutting the door behind her with a click.

Kentoku turned to us and sat down at the head of the table. "All right. Before we go over the dream, I believe that I need to explain the prophecy to all of you.

"What prophecy?" Perun asked.

"You mean the one that Kallisto was talking about?" Amaya asked.

"Yes, I believe that this is the one she was referring to." Kentoku replied. "The prophecy goes like this; _those who believe they will fail, will. Those who trust each other with their lives shall triumph over what threatens to destroy them. Fire, water, air, and earth shall win. But only if they are bound together by those whom have learned to love, will this succeed. Be bound, you for elements and eradicate the things that do not belong."_

Amaya tilted her head to the side. "So… we need four people that trust each other and are close to bind Callisto away… right?"

"Exactly." Kentoku said. "Now that we all know it, let's move onto the dream. We know that all four elements were present, but we still have the woman to interpret. Let's just take her apart piece by piece."

"What was her purpose anyway?" Perun asked.

"I think…" Chihiro began, and paused. "As I said, she looked like she was four of us combined."

"But which four?" Amaya questioned.

Kentoku smiled sadly. "You four. I saw no traces of me in her."

"But her hair was as long as yours." Perun pointed out.

"I doubt hair length has anything to do with it." He replied, looking hard at his youngest son. "But I believe Chihiro's one of the four that make her up."

"She's wearing earthy tones with a dark red jacket… perhaps that's Amaya." I said, leaning back in my chair.

"So we have Chihiro and Amaya… and then you." Kentoku said, "That woman has your eyes Haku."

"But what about the silver flecks?" Chihiro asked, leaning forward, "They don't make any sense at all. They're the color of your hair-"

"What is it with you four and my hair?" Kentoku asked in exasperation. We tried not to laugh or smile, but failed. He shook his head with a sigh. "Anyway, I do not know Chihiro. And before anyone asks, I do not understand the red highlights in the woman's hair either."

"Wait… the hair color represents Chihiro…" Amaya murmured, "Then perhaps the red represents her too." We sat there for a few minutes pondering this new thought when Chihiro burst out into laughter.

"Oh my gosh! Red and me… its fire! The red represents fire! I have to use fire!"

"Use? Who said anything about using something?" I asked, "But that does make sense. And as for the silver flecks, perhaps it means that I need to use wind."

"But for what?" Perun stressed.

"We're still not done analyzing the woman. What about her tattoo?" Amaya asked, looking around at everyone.

Perun snorted, "That's easy; it's me. Kentoku said that it was the four of us, and I'm the only one left. Besides, I have the same thing."

We all watched in confusion and curiosity and Perun rolled his right sleeve up to show the exact same tattoo.

"When did you get that?" Amaya asked, tracing a tendril of the navy blue with her finger.

"A few days after Chihiro first came to the spirit world. Kallisto had a fit when I got it, so she made me hide it."

"I was right, it's you four. Her eyes represent Haku using his wind element, and her hair Chihiro using fire. Amaya's represented by her clothes, and finally Perun with the water tattoo. Everyone following?" When everyone nodded, Kentoku continued, "Now, Chihiro said that she needed to 'use' her element. Care to explain?"

"I don't know…I-" she began, but her eyes widened in realization. She looked up at my father eagerly, " Kentoku, do you know how exactly we're supposed to bind Kallisto?"

My father blinked, "No, I do not. Why?"

"That woman looks like the four of us, and we're the ones that make her who she is. So, do you think that it's possible that we combine powers to become her?"

The room was dead silent. You could have heard a pin drop. Kentoku inclined his head, "I believe you are right Chihiro."

Perun looked at her in amazement. "Where is all of this coming from?"

I laughed. "I don't know," I said honestly, "but I'm loving it!"

"So… is that it?" Amaya asked.

"No. We need to figure out what she meant."

"What do you mean?" Perun questioned, "She didn't say anything."

Chihiro frowned, "Yes she did!"

"Wait… she said something to you?" Kentoku asked, holding a hand out to quit Perun.

"Yes. She said; three beings must bind her… but one of these beings shall be four."

Kentoku scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Well. Three people must bind her…"

"But isn't there supposed to be four?" I asked in confusion, "The prophecy says that there has to be four, yet she says three!"

"Four of us are supposed to come together as one." Perun pointed out, "So, in a way we are one being. We just need two more."

All four of us turned to look at Kentoku. He closed his eyes and sighed, "If I must. Now, since we know who must bond to make the woman that binds Kallisto, we need to start practicing. Haku, Chihiro… do either of you know of a safe place to practice?"

* * *

A/N: Yay! Finally! I got it up! Thanks to my new beta, Goddess Of Grammar, you have an UNDERSTANDABLE chapter! And I appologize now for anything in the previous chapters that doesn't make sense... I'll go back and fix them eventually. I would like the thank everyone for reviewing... and this chapter is also being dedicated to:

**Goddess Of Grammar**  
_Oh how much I value your input! Thank you so much for reading this before everyone and fixing things for me!  
__It meansa lot, so the first chapter you edit deserves to be yours._

**C. Sparrow  
angelofblades543  
Kataan  
StrugglingArtist  
annoying-little-girl  
44dreammaster  
Wings ofTears  
White Dragon 69  
green.jungle.fairy  
marajade963  
Tailz the Great  
Priestess Kohana  
Alangrieal  
Dreaming Rose**  
((I REALLY liked your review Rose, but I had no way to reply...))  
**Addictedto Manga  
AnimeFreakKatie**

**Thank you all so much!This story is far from over!**

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_


	19. Enter The Spy

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 19**

_Enter The Spy

* * *

_

**((Kasumi's POV))**

Since the whole war has started, I seem to have been pushed into the background, and I hate it. Chihiro got her fairytale ending with Haku, and Amaya's getting hers. It's just not fair! How come Chihiro can just whisk in and take Haku away from me? He doesn't know, but I've liked him ever since he's set foot into this bathhouse. I've known him for almost 100 years, and she's only known him for what, ten? I'm determined to set things right… which is why I've changed sides.

No one knows, I or know it would be my head. That's right. I, Kasumi, Chihiro's personal maid, am Kallisto's main spy. Kentoku and the four of them are in a meeting with the other League members talking strategy. Naturally I tried to listen in, but Rin almost caught me. Let me tell you, she's **not** one that you want to cross paths with unless you can avoid it. So… I decided to update my mistress is the happenings of the bathhouse. I was writing for a while before I heard Haku and Chihiro come into their suite. I looked up in fear; if they found me in their study they wouldn't be happy. But if they found out what I was doing… I would be asked which kind of death I would prefer. I dropped the pen, stuffed the finished letter into my obi, and ran out the servant's door behind a bookcase. I went flying down the rickety staircase and stopped when I finally opened a hatch to the gardens. I got out and sighed with relief. I was safe… for now. I focused, and became the mist that I was named after. I rose, and the mist cloud that I was floated off in the direction of the Druid fortress.

Kallisto wanted one of the four as a prisoner, preferable Amaya. Why her? She isn't exactly one of the more powerful spirits. When I asked, Kallisto looked like she wanted to roast me to a crisp. I scampered out of there as fast as I could. So… I have to get one of them. But how? I smiled as I slipped into the kitchen. It would be suspicious if only one person was affected by my plan…

* * *

Sadly… Amaya was in Chihiro and Haku's room the next morning. The men were training with Kentoku, and the two ladies decided to talk the morning away. They were laughing, and they even invited me to join. Knowing that it would be rude to decline, I sat down on one of the cushions.

"So, Kasumi…" Amaya said, hiding a smile, "I've heard that there are few eligible men among the warriors. Do you have your eyes on any one of them?"

I blushed; did they really think I was that desperate? I've seen those men, and I would rather die then talk to one.

They took my blush the wrong way. Chihiro giggled, "Oh come on Kasumi, you can tell us! Who is it?"

"It is no one my lady." I said softly.

She blinked, and then nodded firmly. "I see. I'm sorry to hold you here if you have other things to attend to." I never called her anything else besides her name. She knew that if I called her different, I was serious.

"Thank you Chihiro." I said gratefully and left the room.

* * *

**((Chihiro's POV))**

I thought Kasumi was acting a little weird, but I didn't want to spoil Amaya's mood. She was telling me about the date that Perun took her one last night, and I was listening intently.

"Dinner was awesome, it really was. It had begun to drizzle but I said that I didn't mind much. Perun didn't, he could barely feel it. But, it began to pour! Seriously! Within a minute, there was no part of me that wasn't **dripping** wet. We ran back through the gardens, well, rather slipping and sliding, back toward the bathhouse entrance. We were holding hands, and we just went through the gate before you step onto the bridge. Perun slipped unexpectedly, and fell with me on top of him. He caught himself on his hands, and I fell on his back. He began to laugh and I stood up then slipped, landing on my butt. He just laughed even harder, and I even flung a mud ball at him. We finally got inside about five minutes later. By then, you couldn't tell that we had landed in a mud puddle. The rain had taken care of that."

I was laughing through her entire story, and wiped away some stray tears once she was done, "Ah, I wish something like that would happen to me…"

"No you don't… rain is **really** cold." Amaya laughed.

A knock was heard, and I stood up and walked over to open the door. To my surprise, I saw a tired Rin standing there. "Chihrio, Amaya… I'm sorry for disturbing you, but we need help in the sick bay. Something must have gotten into the water supply… everyone's getting sick. Not to mention we have some injured still there from the last battle."

"You need help?" Amaya asked, coming to stand next to me, "Come on Chi, we can both do it."

I looked down at my blonde haired friend, "Are you sure?"

"Of course, now let's go!" she cried, following Rin down to the sick bay.

I didn't know a thing about healing or taking care of injured men, but I tried my best. Within a few minutes, I became an expert at retying bandages, warming water; administering medicine... you name it. Time flew by and I soon lost track of how long I had been down here, or when Rin said to leave. When Amaya left, she tried to convince me to leave with her, but I just brushed her off. She threatened to go get Haku and I just snorted.

"Haku can't make me do anything." I told her, and Amaya left in a huff.

About five minutes later, Rin grabbed me by the arm. "You're done." I let out tons of protests, but they fell upon deaf ears. "No Chihiro, you're done and that's that." I sighed in defeat as she half dragged half walked me back to my room. She helped me out of my obi and kimono, and put me in a crème nightgown.

"You sit and stay here, understand?"

I smiled faintly. "Yes ma'am."

"I'm going to go get Haku, who should be out of the meeting by now. I'm going to send him here to make sure you don't even **move**."

* * *

**((Rin's POV))**

Thank the gods the meeting was over. Haku was still inside with Perun, but Kentoku was standing next to the door talking to two League generals. I tried to worm my way through the crowd before he stopped me.

"Can I help you?" He asked me coolly, fixing his light blue and violet gaze on me.

I swallowed and stood up straighter. "I'm looking for Haku and I noticed he was inside. Is it all right if I go get him?"

One of the generals chuckled, obviously a player. "Well, well, well… we have a fiery one here Kentoku. What's your name missy?"

The other man rolled his eyes, "Oh Felix, give it a rest. The women here are too smart to go to bed with you."

"Hey, don't say that before you know Basir!" Felix laughed, but stopped when he saw Kentoku's glare.

"You do not have any respect do you? Rin is very capable of hearing everything you say. Please, go on in and get him."

I nodded my thanks, and walked into the room briskly. Haku and Perun were talking about Perun's date last night when I grabbed him by the arm. "You're coming with me."

"Huh? I am? Oh, okay…" He said, looking at me strangely as I pulled him out of the room. We walked by the three men at the door and he waved to them over his shoulder. "I'm not exactly sure what's going on… I'll talk to you all later, my apologies!"

Felix laughed, "Well, it looks like little Rin is too busy having fun with someone else instead of me-"

I spun around and Haku stumbled, surprised that I had stopped dragging him toward the stairs. I walked straight up

"How dare you say that. Haku belongs to a woman I consider to be my little sister. If you think that women will go that low to have some pleasure, then you do not know women at all."

Felix starred at me dumbstruck and Basir began to chuckle, "I thank you. Someone besides me needed to tell my brother off."

I smiled faintly and met Kentoku's gaze. They were hard and harsh, and I felt my resolve slowly begin to fade. I bowed to the three of them, and dashed toward the stairs, catching Haku's arm on the way.

* * *

A/N: I'm not really sure where the last part came from... I guess it was just a way to introduce Rin back into the story. Anyway... I'm moving! So, updates may not exactly be frequent but I'll try my best to keep them coming! Remember these chapters now are going through a beta, so it might take a little longer too. Well, not this time b/c nothing was wrong! WHOOT WHOOT! Oh yes, I'm good, go me! ((lol))

**Tailz the Great  
angelofblades543  
marajade963  
Princess of the Wind  
AnimeFreakKatie  
Kataan  
Priestess Kohana  
White Dragon 69  
annoying-little-girl  
StrugglingArtist  
xX44th DreamMasterXx**

_And a special thanks to..._

**Spirited Child**  
_for the loveliest  
_and  
**Giddyupgal**  
_for the longest __reviews I've had in a while. Yay!_

_And to..._

**Goddess of Grammar**

_for being a lovely beta... :)_

**Thank you so much for reviewing everyone!**

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_


	20. A Tear Of Peace

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 20**

_A Tear Of Peace

* * *

_

**((Haku's POV))**

"Are you sure?" I asked the scout.

The young man nodded, "I'm quite positive, Lord Haku. Kallisto is moving in again."

"Then we need to prepare." I said, "You are dismissed."

As the man left my office, I sat down at my desk with a sigh. Why did everything seem to happen at once? Chihiro came into my office and set down her cup of tea, and handed me mine. Before she even said anything, I answered her unspoken question. "She's coming."

"Does anyone else know?"

"No. No one does. But, this is just so unexpected. We've had no reports of her even thinking about moving. What happened?"

"Who knows? But, I do know that we need to call a meeting, and everyone has to come."

"I agree. Call them up here."

My father was the last one to enter my study. "What is it?" he asked, and the rest of the people assembled nodded.

I looked at all of the faces waiting for my response. My father was as cool as ever, never showing his feelings. Perun was relaxed, an arm around Amaya's waist. She wasn't as calm as him, but she hid it well. Chihiro stood next to her, all ready knowing the news. Rin stood farthest to the right, eyeing me with suspicion. She thinks I'm going to tell about yesterday to everyone… oh how I wish that were it. Yubaba stood to Kentoku's left, arms crossed. She certainly doesn't like to be woken up, and really don't like that her bathhouse is a war zone. Felix and Basir, the two League generals, stood next to her in all seriousness. I never would have expected Felix to be hitting on Rin yesterday… but now wasn't the time.

"Kallisto is moving." I said simply.

"Where?" Basir asked.

"Here."

"Do you know when she should be here?" Felix asked, leaning on his right foot, hand on his sword pommel.

"Within the week. We need to get ready."

* * *

Preparations were underway, and the bathhouse was scrambling. Amidst the chaos, Chihiro put a hand on my arm. "Haku?"

I turned to her with a small smile. "Yes my love?"

"I…" she began, blushing. "Iwaswonderingifyoucouldteachmehowtouseasword."

I blinked. "You are going to have to go slower than that my dear."

"I… could you teach me how to use a sword?" she asked softly.

My eyes widened in surprise. "Why? A sword isn't for a lady-"

"Amaya uses one."

"That's because she was a Druid. Now, I really don't think you want to use a sword."

"Please? I want to be able to depend on something else besides my magic!"

"A bow perhaps?" Kentoku suggested, coming up behind us.

I raised an eyebrow. "A bow."

"Yes, a bow." He said, looking at me sternly, "If you won't let her use a sword, you should at least provide a substitute."

I sighed, "But I don't know _how_ to use a bow."

"You shame me." My father said sarcastically, turning to Chihiro, "Would you like to learn?"

"Please." She said with a nod.

"Then follow me. Since your man seems incapable of teaching you, I'll do it."

"You know how to use a bow?" I asked, a little shocked.

Kentoku snorted, "Of course I do. I can use more than one weapon. Now, Chihiro, please follow me."

* * *

**((Chihiro's POV))**

At first I was scared at learning how to shoot with Kentoku as my teacher. He's nice and all… but… okay, well, I didn't really know that seeing as he never really talks that much. But, I soon learned that he's not bad at all… he's just a soul that's been hurt. All he really needs is someone to talk to.

Kentoku had taken me outside to a secure glade in the gardens, and handed me a bow that he had picked up a long the way. "Here you go. Now, we're not going to use real arrows because I don't want you to shoot something that you didn't really mean to. For instance; yourself."

I smiled slightly, "All right." What no one knew is, I all ready knew how to shoot. Well, that might have been stretching it a bit. I knew how to hold a bow and **attempt** to shoot. Funny what summer camps teach young campers to do.

He handed me an arrow, point down. "Do you know how to hold the bow?"

"I do. I learned a little in the human world."

"Oh good! Then this won't be helpless." He said with a small smile. I looked at the target, and took my stance. "Hold it." He stopped me, a hand on my arm, "Did you ever hit the target in the human world?"

"Well… no…" I said with a blush.

"No wonder you didn't," he said, and I relaxed the bowstring. "No no, take your stance again." I did ask he asked, which resulted in him chuckling. "Now, you may want to lower your right arm a bit…" He placed his cool hand on my elbow, and slowly pushed it down so it was level with my shoulder. "Now, touch your mouth to your left shoulder…" I did as he asked.

"Now release." He said softly. I did, and the arrow flew, hitting the ring around the bull's eye. I just stared in shock.

Kentoku patted my shoulder, "See? Nothing to it. Now, our job is to get Haku and Perun out here."

"To show off or to get them to shoot?"

"Either one works for me. Personally, I would rather see them be more fluent in weaponry. Now, I want to see you get a bull's eye this time…"

* * *

We decided to get the guys out to the shooting range soon before Kallisto's army arrived. He took my bow and the quiver of dull arrows and put them back in the armory.

"Thank you for the lessons." I said, offering him a curtsy.

He smiled down at me. "Please Chihiro, don't curtsy to me. It was an honor to teach a woman such as yourself how to shoot."

"I wasn't that big of a pain was I?" I asked, remembering how frustrated I was getting toward the end of the lesson.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Of course not. I think that you're the fastest learner that I've ever had the privilege of teaching."

I smiled, "Well, thank you again. Now I just want to rub it in Haku's face that I can do something that he can't."

To my surprise, Kentoku threw his head back and laughed. The sound… it was enough to make any woman's knees melt. Such a deep and light hearted laugh… I had no idea why he didn't use it more. When he looked back down at me, I smiled up at him.

"I've come to a conclusion."

"And what would that be?" He asked, genuinely curious, his eyes still dancing with mirth.

"You need to laugh more." I told him firmly, and then went to the elevator, and up to my rooms.

* * *

**((Kentoku's POV))**

I need to laugh more. Well, I can't ignore that because it's true. It's just a matter of laughing. What makes me laugh anyway?

I sighed and leaned my head against the wall of the bathhouse. I had gone back outside and was listening to the miniature sea around the bathhouse crash against the cliff side. I leaned over the fence that Yubaba had placed at the edge of the cliff and looked down at the waves.

They seemed dangerous, but they always calmed me for some reason.

"You need to lighten up." A gentle voice told me.

I sighed, knowing immediately who it was. "What for? There is nothing here for me."

"You found your sons. That should be enough. They are both happy with the women they love. Why can't you be the same?"

"Be the same? Why would **I** betray the woman I love and take another? I will never betray that love and trust."

"Then you insult the memory of that love. You should move on… you should, no, you deserve to be happy. You've done so much for this world and it's time you focused on yourself."

I sighed in defeat. "I… I don't think that I know how to do that anymore. I don't know what makes me happy these days. Everything is just about war."

"You should listen to that young woman… Chihiro. She made you laugh."

I smiled despite myself. "The image that her statement brought was enough to make anyone laugh."

"See? You have found something that makes you laugh. Family."

"Family? I don't even know them that well."

The voice paused, almost like they were trying not to yell. "Then this is the opportune moment to get to know them better if you never know what will happen in war."

I stayed silent for a while. "I hate it when you're right." I whispered with a smile.

The voice laughed a melodic laugh, one that I had loved so. "You should be used to it by now."

"I know, but a man has to keep his pride you know."

"Ah… men and their pride…" the voice teased.

I felt a presence move in front of me, over the open sea. I felt a faint hand lay itself on my cheek, "I love you." The voice whispered. "I don't want you to forget me, but I don't want what we had to sadden you."

"It won't."

"Will you move on then?"

I sighed, "I'll try."

"You will try?"

"No… I will. For you." I corrected myself with a smile.

"That's better." The voice said softly, and I felt a feather light kiss brush against my lips. The presence moved away, the hand slowly leaving my face. With a sigh, the presence vanished. It saddened me; she was truly gone from my life. But, the fact that I had talked to her one more time was enough. I had a promise to keep.

A strong wind blew into my face, carrying the smell of fresh rain. I smiled as I breathed the scent in deeply. A lone tear slowly rolled down my cheek. But it wasn't a tear of sadness.

But a tear of peace.

* * *

A/N: Well. I must say that I liked making Kentoku a little happier in this chapter, I really did. I appologize for this being so short, but um... it's just kind of how it came out. The next one will be longer, I promise!

**Tailz the Great  
Goddess of Grammar  
XxLil-AngelxX  
Priestess Kohana  
StrugglingArtist  
marajade963  
ArtysThunder  
White Dragon 69  
annoying-little-girl**

And to **Giddyupgal**... Kasumi BURN. Just thought I would say something... xD

Thank you to everyone! Don't worry, more chapters coming... and I'm not even done planning yet. ((lol))

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_


	21. The Meaning Of Beauty

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 21**

_The Meaning Of Beauty

* * *

_

**((Kentoku's POV))**

I was pacing around my office, waiting for anything to happen. Reports for the past few days have been saying that Kallisto had disappeared. But I know better. She's still here, and she's waiting. Sure enough, Perun burst into my office.

"Father! She's here, and she's ready to attack!"

I sent him off to alert the rest of the bathhouse while I got into something that I could easily move around in. I chose robes. Some would say that they are more restrictive, but when one has been trained in them…

I donned on pants and an outer robe that was a light cream. The hem, sleeves and neckline of the robe had a light blue trim. With that done, I tied a sash of a deep navy blue around my waist. Gathering my long hair into a low ponytail, I grabbed my naginata and went down to the bridge of the bathhouse.

When everyone was gathered outside, the wall of water was parted to reveal Kallisto and Maeve with a few Druids. With a smirk, I realized that Kallisto had a prosthetic arm. I realized she was screaming at us like she always does, so I began to pay attention.

"If you think that you can win this battle… that thought shall be your downfall!"

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up Kallisto. Instead of shouting at us, why don't you prove your words?"

She laughed and raised her arms. A **lot** more soldiers than last time stood up among the ruined restaurants.

Haku looked at me out of the corner of his eye, "All right. Now we know she means business. So… how do we get ourselves out of this one?"

"Get out of it? My son, we don't get out of this easily. There's only one way. Fight."

* * *

The battle was taking place in the ruined village in front of the bathhouse. I remained just before the bridge if the Druids became stupid enough to take our fortress. I saw my sons battling together, guarding each other's backs against any oncoming attacks. I smiled to myself. They had been training together for the past few days, and were doing a marvelous job. Amaya had taken up a bow with Chihiro and were shooting from a distance behind me. They had saved me a couple of times, and they will be rewarded greatly… with more intense shooting lessons. I smiled at the thought. Amaya would complain and Chihiro would jump and accept the challenge. Yubaba was standing with them, shooting some very nasty beams of light. Druids went flying all over the place. I had seen nothing of Rin. But not that I would expect her to be out here anyway.

Suddenly, a group of about seven Druids charged me, interrupting my thoughts. I lashed out with my naginata, the three-foot blade eliminating two warriors with a single sweep. One jumped and fled back to do some easier fighting, leaving me with four to deal with. The battle had been dragging on for about an hour, and I was about to drop. Battling four people was not on my to do list at the moment. Nonetheless, someone had to take care of them.

I lashed out again and the four jumped back, and then rushed me. One kneed me in the gut, and another delivered a kick to my chest, ultimately sending me flying. I crashed onto the hard wood of the bridge, winded. I was up in seconds, and running back at them, my weapon poised. With a cry, I swung, catching one in the gut. He went flying back, leaving me with only three to face.

One rushed me, drawing his sword and cutting me across the chest. The next one flew by and gave me a gash on my left arm. With a cry, I nearly dropped my naginata. The wound was bleeding profusely, and the wound on my chest was beginning to throb. I had to use my weapon with one hand now, and was not pleased at the thought in the slightest. Then, all three Druids jumped at once.

I tried to fend them off, making sure that they didn't land another score on me. One laughed insanely. "So this is how the mighty Kentoku dies? On a bridge of a bathhouse, barely able to fight back? How pathetic."

* * *

**((Rin's POV))**

I successfully knocked another stupid idiot who came to close with my staff. Over the clamor of the fighting, I heard insane laughter. 'Probably just some maniac Druid thinking that's his side is winning.' I thought to myself, but that thought immediately fled when I saw Kentoku.

The three Druids he was fighting meant business and were dead set on the fact that he wouldn't come out of this alive. With a cry of shock, I saw the one of the men send Kentoku flying. He hit the bridge with a sickening thud, and didn't move. His naginata lay forgotten a few inches from his uninjured hand. With horror, I watched him struggle to stand once again. But before he could even pick up his weapon once again, the Druids once again attacked.

My blood boiled. How dare they! Can't they see he can barely fight back? With a cry of rage, and ran towards the ignorant men. Twirling my staff, I hit one in the back of the head, and clipped the other one's shoulder. The man spun around, and I delivered a solid blow to his head. He joined his friend. The last man turned to face me instead of finishing off his original target.

I was in my own little world now. Just my enemy and me. Nothing else in the world existed. He swung his blade, and I deflected it, ramming the end of my staff into his gut. He doubled over in pain, and I hit him on the back of the head. He crumpled to the ground and I rushed over to Kentoku. He managed to grab his weapon and get into a kneeling position. I dropped my staff and helped him up.

He looked at me, his blue and violet eyes slightly unfocused. "Thank you… Rin."

"Don't say anything, we have to get you inside."

"But-"

"I don't **care** that you don't want to go in just yet!" I cried as I forced him back toward the entrance of the bathhouse. "You can barely stand, let alone fight! You need to get some rest and some major healing. Get over it."

* * *

It's been two days since the attack, and as usual, Kallisto fled. We don't know what her motives were for attacking this time. Attacking irregularly isn't going to do anything except weaken her forces. Kentoku had been resting after Yubaba healed him to the best of her ability. Chihiro said she felt faint, and went off to bed. Haku seemed worried, so I ordered him to go up after her and get some rest himself. Perun and Amaya went off somewhere together, although I doubt it was to have some kind of victory fun. He's to worn out.

Kasumi was bustling about in the sick bay, helping wherever she could. She may have worked here for as long as I have, but I didn't trust her one bit. And the fact that she was Chihiro's maid didn't help. I couldn't say anything against her in fear that Yubaba would kick me out of this bathhouse. And during a war where you wanted to be on a side, particularly the safe side… being kicked out was a very bad thing.

I don't know why I didn't trust her… I guess that I just didn't like her go-happy demeanor. Chihiro has one most of the time, but Kasumi's just drives me to utter insanity. The way she's always-

Okay, I'm not going to do this. I'm not going to get myself all in a knot when she's completely loyal to the people she serves-

But what if she's not?

I slapped my forehead and gave myself a severe scolding. I was **NOT** going to think like this!

To get my mind off of thinking horrible and untrue things, I went to visit Kentoku. Since I had dragged him back to the bathhouse, Yubaba allowed me to see him. Actually, she appointed me to be his caretaker. There really isn't a difference; I still have to go up the elevator every two hours to check on him. I entered his room silently and looked at him. I knew that his wounds were severe, but I knew that he was a fast healer too. So why has it been two days, almost three since he's even moved?

I shut the sliding door behind me without a sound, and went over to his futon. It was about an inch off of the floor, and sat upon a wooden frame. I silently wondered how he actually slept in it. I guess rolling off the bed in the middle of the night and waking up with a huge headache isn't a problem for him. I kneeled down next to him, and looked hard at his face.

Oh yes, he was attractive. But like I would admit that to anyone, especially him. I reached a hand out to lightly touch his forehead. It was a little hot, so I busied myself getting a basin of water and a cloth. I got the white cloth wet and wrung it out with little noise. I dabbed his forehead a bit to cool him down when his eyes snapped open.

"Whoa!" I cried… well, rather squeaked and jumped to my feet. "I'm so sorry! Were you asleep?"

He looked up at me and chuckled at my antics. "No, I was awake."

"You could have said something! You nearly scared me to death!" I said, kneeling back down.

"I can see that." He said, but didn't say anything more when I gave him my famous shut-up-if-you-want-to-live glare. "How long have I been asleep?"

"You've been out for two days, almost three." I said, getting up and rummaging around in a basket nearby for some bandages. "Now, no doubt that your bindings need to be changed. Do you think you can sit up?"

He snorted in response, followed by sheets moving. He sighed, "No."

"You can't get up?"

He grimaced, "Not without my chest burning."

"Oh, so it's burning? Well, that's good."

He glared at me. "I fail to see how that's 'good'. Care to explain?"

"It means it's healing… and that you're not dead." I said with some sarcasm, helping him sit up.

He snorted, "I think I tell that for myself thank you very much."

I refrained from rolling my eyes. "Yup, you're just like I thought you would be."

"And how is that?"

I looked at him sternly. "I'm not here to chat with you. I'm here to make sure that you're still alive and change your bandages." With that said, I undid the bandage on his chest, and grabbed some nearby ointment. I unscrewed the lid, and the both of us wrinkled our noses at the smell.

"You really have to use that?" He asked, looking at the contents of the jar with distaste.

I nearly laughed at his face, "Yes I do. Now, this may sting so hold still."

* * *

**((Kentoku's POV))**

This may sting my **ass**! It BURNED. And I wasn't happy with some sarcastic girl coming into my room and acting like she's in charge of me, and THEN putting this… "healing ointment_" _on my wound! I wasn't going to go with the keep-your-emotions-inside junk I had been trained to do.

"What is that?" I cried in outrage as she began to bind my chest back.

"Oh suck it up Kentoku. I use this stuff all of the time."

That shut me up. I was fuming inside, but the flames of my anger were slowly dying. The feel of her arms moving across my chest as she rebound it was very… distracting. She wasn't beautiful like Lavanya was, but I was slowly coming to the point where I didn't care. She had a certain spark that my wife didn't. I think I sort of like it…

Then I began to feel a little guilty for being so rude a few seconds ago. I wanted to apologize, but doing outright just wasn't me. She finished wrapping the bandage around my chest and moved to undo the one on my arm. I was filled with a small amount of disappointment when I no longer felt her arms around me. I squeezed my eyes shut and demanded that I get those thoughts out of my head.

"I'm sorry, did I tie the bandage to tight?" She softly asked me. I jerked and looked into her gray eyes.** ((A/N: I think they're brown, but I wanted diversity. They're gray. Get over it.))**

I cleared my throat, trying to think of a reply. It wasn't _that_ tight… "A little bit."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'll redo it." She said and began undoing the bandage around my chest.

I have no idea why I flat out lied. If it was the fact that it really was tight, or that I wanted to have her arms wrap around me again I guess I'll never know. My previous irritation melted away into a peaceful mood as she once again tied the bandage.

"Is that better?" she asked.

I inclined my head and met her gaze, "Yes, thank you… Rin is it?"

"Ah, yes." She said, startled that I remembered her name. I smiled, "I do have a memory Rin, contrary to what people think."

She blushed. I was a little shocked. I wasn't thinking that I would get that kind of reaction from her. She undid the rest of the bandage on my arm and grabbed the jar of ointment. She gave me a hesitant smile. "Sorry about this…"

I hissed as the lotion went on, but I didn't say anything. Instead of focusing on the burning, I focused on her smooth and cool hand rubbing it on my wound. When she was done, I felt disappointed. Rin bound it and gave me a smile.

"There you go, good as new. You'll have to stay in bed for a while because of you're chest, but at least you're awake. Are you up for some visitors?"

"Visitors? Why?" I asked, watching her put back the ointment and extra bandages.

She shook her head and chuckled. "You have been out for two days you know. Everyone's worried about an old guy like you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so I'm old?"

She smiled at me. "If you can let three men overpower you, then yes, you're old."

I laughed and looked at her dead in the eye. When my laughter subsided, my voice took on a serious tone. "Thank you for saving my life Rin."

"It was nothing." She murmured with a blush and left the room.

I laid my head back down on my pillow with a smile. I like that woman. Sure, Rin may not be as beautiful and attractive as Lavanya, but she was special in her own way. She had spunk and determination that my wife didn't have. I could tell from looking at her that she had a will power like no other spirit that I've met for a long time.

She's different. And that's what makes her beautiful.

* * *

A/N: I actually looked up what a futon actually was, and I was surprised. You know those couches that you fold down and make a bed? We call that a futon, so I thought that's what the only thing the word was referring to. But, a futon is actually those Japanese beds that lie directly on the floor. I might be the only one that didn't know that… but anyway.

Right, now I'll go on and talk about things that **actually** matter. I LOVED THIS CHAPTER! I loved writing it and I'm obbsessed with writing this.I've noticed that some genres of fan fiction are easier to write than others, and I can safely say that this is the one I've been most successful with. Hello! I've gotten TWO HUNDERED AND TWENTY NINE REVIEWS! OMG!

If I hit another big number, like 250, I'll dedicate a chapter to the 250th reviewer... or something like that.

**xX44th DreamMasterXx  
Priestess Kohana  
annoying-little-girl  
marajade963**  
**Kataan  
XxLil-AngelxX  
White Dragon 69  
Mushrambolover  
Spirited Child  
Akina1992**

And a special thanks to the following people...

**Dreaming Rose** - I'll always take time to read reviews, no matter how long or short they be. It's really cool to see what you guys think about what I write. And who actually has something to say to me other than "loved the chapter" ((lol)) And you really need to get a profile, b/c I would much like to reply to your reviews... hmm.

**Giddyupgal** - ((lol)) Yes, I hope for more fluff to come. Sadly... I'm not sure if there's going to be fluff in the next chapter, mainly b/c I'm not looking at my notes as I type this. Well, I do hope that this chapter made up for the lack of fluff...

**angelofblades543** - You say that you have a whole notebook of OC's? YES! Yay! Okay, I sent you a message about what I'm looking for. And when she appears, that chapter will be yours! See? There's benifits to this! ((lol))

**Thank you all so much for reviewing!**

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_


	22. Rain

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 22**

_Rain

* * *

_

**((Kentoku's POV))**

Since I had been out for two days, Perun came in and explained everything that's been happening to me. The reports say that Kallisto has vanished like a shadow. Perun says that he's even explored the ruined village himself and hasn't found a trace of her forces there. He finds it odd for her to just vanish like this, but I know that's just what she does. I told him not to worry about it. When there's a break, you take it.

Rin's been a great help to keeping my sanity. I may be a relaxed person, but I **hate** staying in bed. I'm not one that likes to start a conversation, so I don't. But the silence of my room always became uncomfortable once she came in. The one thing that made it leave…

Conversation. My weak point.

Fantastic.

I really felt bad, truly. I didn't say anything to her since I first woke up, and that was yesterday. She looked at me, hoping that I would start a conversation. But I never did. Now she just doesn't even bother anymore. I hate that. So… I tried it.

Yes. I, Kentoku, man of silence, actually started a conversation.

"So… how long have you been working at the bathhouse?" I asked. I knew it was a personal question and I expected her to not say anything.

I think that she was so relieved that I actually talked that she didn't mind the question. "I came to work at the bathhouse fifteen years ago."

"So you're younger than Haku?"

She laughed. "Oh gods no! I'm much older than him, but I don't think that he knows that." She paused what she was doing and looked up at the ceiling. "I had a family once. Hard to believe I'm sure. But… it was taken away from me before I had the chance to really appreciate it.

"I married fifteen years ago. It was arranged since I was older, about eight hundred. The two of us were learning how to not kill each other… and I have to admit we had a pretty good system going down. After a few years, the system fell apart. We didn't need it anymore. We could stand each other.

"After a while, we fell in love, just like everyone hoped. It only took us a year, so it wasn't that bad. The next five years were great… the last two were amazing. I had a daughter. Then… a fire came through. Unexpected, no one knew what was going on. To this day, I've never learned who or what caused it. All I knew was that my life would never be the same. My husband died fighting the fire, and I never found my daughter.

"So, I came to the bathhouse. It seemed like the best decision at the time, but now I know better. It was the worst possible thing that I could have done. I worked here for a year and hated everyday. I managed to get by, and the year Chihiro showed up at the bathhouse, I was one of the best workers."

"So you've only worked here for five years, correct?" I asked, doing some mental math.

Rin nodded. "Exactly."

Another silence fell before I dared venture another question. "What was her name?"

"My daughter's?"

"Yes."

She took a deep breath and smiled faintly. "Mitsuko."

"Child of light... is that what it means?"

"Yes." Rin replied, and then laughed quietly. "She really was. She used to make me laugh no matter what… I miss her."

I leaned forward with some difficulty, but I didn't let that stop me. "Rin, look at me." When she did, I looked into her gray eyes. "You may miss her, but you shouldn't. She wouldn't want you to be sad that you never found her."

"You speak like she's dead."

"How old was she?"

Rin paused. "Five." She whispered.

My eyes softened. "Did you ever hear anything about her?"

"No." she said before meeting my gaze. "I know that she's dead… but I don't really want to accept it…"

"Here, follow me." I said, trying to get up. I closed my eyes with a sigh. "On second thought… can you help me up first?"

* * *

**((Rin's POV))**

I had no idea what he was doing, or where he was taking me, but I went along with it. He led me outside to the cliff, a place I haven't been in five years.

I smiled sadly, looking up at the still gray sky. "I've never been out here…"

"It's beautiful." He said, watching me.

I stopped my study of the sky and turned my attention to him. "Why did you bring me here?"

"Think about her. Think about Mitsuko."

I wondered what in the world he was talking about, but I did so anyway.

"Mama?" a high-pitched voice asked.

I stiffened and slowly turned around. A familiar sight greeted me. A young girl, no older than seven starred back at me. With long black hair in a braid, and the palest blue eyes…

"Mitsuko." I said quietly.

"Mama!" she called again, this time with a big grin. She ran to me and hugged my legs, just like she used to.

"Sweetie… what happened to you?" I asked softly, untangling her from my legs and squatting down to her level.

She looked at me sadly. "I stayed in the house, just like you told me to."

I knew Kentoku was watching, and I frankly didn't care at this point. He knew half of the story, so he might as well know the rest. My hands flew to my mouth and I starred at her in horror.

"Baby… no you didn't."

"I listened Mama, I really did."

My eyes began to water, and I knew a few tears leaked out but I didn't care. "Suko… why didn't you run?"

"I was scared. I didn't know where you were." She said, and I was crying freely now. She wrapped her small arms around my neck and whispered in my ear. "It's okay Mama. I don't blame you. You did what you thought was best."

I stopped crying instantly. She didn't sound like the little five-year-old girl that I knew…

She let go and stepped back. Watching with fascination, she became a young woman. With a sob, I realized that she must be twenty. How old she would be right now… if she had never died. I stood up as she spoke.

"I'm fine Mama, I really am. I'm not mad at you; I never could be for long. I just don't to see you hurting yourself if I never told you what happened."

I smiled sadly, "Mitsuko… I don't-"

"You deserve to be happy Mama. Please, don't be like this for the rest of your life. What happened to the vibrant woman that was my mother?"

I laughed, "Honey… she left the day you did."

"I'm not gone though. I'm still here with you. I always will be." Mitsuko said with her bright smile. "So, you have no excuse to be sad and weepy, okay? Be happy, just like you used to. Find another little girl."

I shook my head, "I can't just _find_ another little girl."

"Then don't find one. Have one."

I sputtered. "Wha- what?"

"You heard me. I'm sure Daddy wouldn't want you to be sad either. I'm actually dead sure he would want you to be happy too. Can you do that for both of us… for me?"

"I'll try."

"Try? Mama, you can do better than try."

I smiled. "I love you Mitsuko."

The young woman slowly melded away and became the girl that I remembered. I squatted back down and hugged the girl tightly.

"I love you too Mama."

* * *

**((End POV))**

Kentoku watched Rin stare at the place where her daughter, or rather the image of her daughter, stood. She had long since been gone from that spot, but Rin seemed content to just stand there.

"I told her to stay in the house…" she whispered after a while, giving Kentoku a slight scare.

"What's so wrong about that?" he asked, taking a small step closer to her.

She spun around to face him, her eyes bright with tears. "It was a fire Kentoku. A huge fire. I went outside to see what was going on. The crowd forced my away from my house. I never had a chance to go back. I knew Mitsuko was smart and that she would take care of herself."

"Rin… you did what you thought was best." He said, not really understanding why she was so upset about the whole thing.

"It wasn't what was best!" she cried, tears falling freely from her eyes. "She stayed in the house! When I had the chance to come back, my house wasn't there! It was burned to the ground! **She never left**!" Rin wailed, sinking to her knees, sobbing.

Kentoku's heart froze. From there on in, he seemed to move on autopilot. He sat down next to the crying woman, and gathered her in his arms. She clung to him and cried, shoulders shaking. One hand rubbed her back with the other hand was on her head.

"Rin…" he whispered.

"I'm… s-s-s-so… s-s-sorry…" she said in between sobs.

"Sshh… don't be." He told her, rocking back and forth. "It's all right, just let it out Rin. Just let it out."

They sat there for a few minutes before it began to rain. But, the two seemed oblivious to the frigid drops of water that were pelting down upon them. Kentoku hugged Rin tighter, and her sobs died down. But when she was done crying, he didn't let her go. He didn't feel that he could. Rin certainly wasn't complaining; he was a good shelter from the cold air and rain.

He marveled at how well she fit into his arms. He thought that Lavanya was a perfect fit, but this was nothing like when he held his wife. Holding Rin was like a long lost puzzle piece finally joining the rest of the puzzle to create something beautiful. She fit so well… holding her seemed so comfortable. A few days ago it would have bothered him greatly. It still did, but it wasn't exactly something to be afraid of. After all, he did promise Lavanya he would try and move on. No, he promised he would. And he was going to keep it.

He looked up at the rain and smiled. 'This is an encouragement, isn't it?' he silently asked the sky.

"Help her. She'll help you." The wind seemed to whisper. Kentoku smiled and leaned his head back down.

He and Rin sat like that for a while, neither of them moving, letting the rain soak into their clothes and wash away the sad and horrible memories… allowing them to live on.

* * *

**((Haku's POV))**

It was raining hard… really hard. So, there's nothing better than spending time together with family while it's raining. Chihiro and I set up a dinner in one of the dinning rooms of the bathhouse for Perun, Amaya, and us to enjoy some quality time together. I don't think we've ever actually sat down and had dinner together once. It was certainly a nice change. We were talking and laughing all through out dinner and forgetting about our troubles, just like it should be.

"So… where's Rin?" Amaya asked.

Chihiro smiled. "Yubaba charged her to keep track of Kentoku."

"Personally, I think that she was wise in doing so." I added. "They're a good match, but he's going to have a wonderful time trying not to get killed."

"Whoa, wait a minute." Perun said, holding up a hand. "Are you saying that he's moving on?"

"I'm not saying that he is. But, if he chooses to do so with Rin's help, he's in for a big surprise. She might or might not do it, but that's going to be half the fun. Just sitting down and watching things play out."

Perun looked at me, completely speechless. "Shut up." He said simply.

Chihiro laughed, "No, I think he's got a point. Rin could crack him."

"But she's going to have a hard time cracking my father!" Perun cried, looking at the both of us.

I laughed, "Oh no, she's pretty good. He might have a hard time cracking her though…"

"You've got to be kidding me!" Perun grinned, "Are you hooking our father up?"

I frowned, "No, I'm not. I'm just stating facts."

"Facts. Since when were these facts?" My brother asked. "You know, I should punish you for saying things that aren't true!" He said in a teasing voice.

"And how are you going to do that?" I asked, looking at him curiously.

Perun looked around the table, and picked up a roll. "I'll throw this at you."

I just starred at him like he was crazy. "You really think that's going to make me shut up?"

"No." he said simply. "But it's just an excuse to throw it at you."

I sighed, "Well if that's going to help-"

SMACK.

Something hit my face… only it wasn't a roll. I slowly raised my hand and wiped whipped cream off of my eyes. I glared at Perun, who was still holding his roll. He was starring at me, wide eyed and trying not to laugh. Amaya was covering her mouth with both hands attempting, but failing, to stifle her giggles.

I slowly turned my head to look at Chihiro who was grinning from ear to ear. I saw a ruined pie next to her. After starring at it for a few seconds, I looked up into her laughing brown eyes.

"You did **not** just do that." I deadpanned.

She grinned. "No, I didn't just do it. I did it a few seconds ago."

I starred at her coolly, and reached over to get what remained of the pie. "Well," I began, still looking into her eyes. "I'll show you what **I'm** about to do."

SMACK.

She squealed in surprise and I busted out laughing. She wiped her face free of cream and glared at me for a few seconds, before she joined in my mirth. She got most of the remaining cream in her hands and jumped up from the table. I turned my head and dodged her incoming cream ball.

I shouldn't have done that.

SMACK.

I turned around to see whom she had hit, and tried not to laugh so hard. Perun glared at the both of us, cream dripping off the right side of his face. "That was so not cool." He said. All of us laughed.

That's when he decided to finally attack me with his roll. He chucked it at my head, and I touched the spot where it hit. "Ouch." I whispered before picking up the roll and throwing it back at him.

Only I missed.

SMACK.

Perun busted out laughing when it hit Amaya.

"Oh, you think this is funny?" she asked, smiling sweetly at my twin.

He grinned at her, "Hilarious."

She smiled even bigger, and picked up what remained of her soup.

SLOOSH.

All over Perun's head.

The war was waged for a few more minutes, Chihiro and I joining in the spirit of the food fight.

"What in the world is going on here?" a low voice asked, and we all turned to look at the door.

To our surprise, and my and Perun's embarrassment, stood Kentoku and Rin.

Perun acted like what we were doing was nothing out of the ordinary. "Why good evening father. May I inquire as to why you are wet?"

"May I inquire as to why you are covered in soup?" he countered, glaring at us with his arms crossed.

"Ah…" I began, looking at my younger brother nervously. Looking back to my slightly amused father I tried a tactic that I hoped would work. "Can we apply the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy for this one?"

For the first time in a while, I saw my father give a genuine smile. "Fine by me."

* * *

A/N: I really liked this chapter, I really did. I noticed some people thought that Rin was extrememly younger than Kentoku. Well...

We actually don't know how old Rin _really_ is, so we're free to guess. I'm saying that she's about 815... 820ish... Kentoku himself is about 1000.I know, that's like a 200 year difference, but they're spirits. We think that's a big age gap, but spirits live a VERY VERY VERY long time. So, 200 years is nothing to them really. If it still grosses you out... oh well. That's just you. Deal with it, there's going to be fluff... I think.

**Priestess Kohana  
StrugglingArtist  
Kataan  
XxLil-AngelxX  
White Dragon 69  
Giddyupgal  
Princess of the Wind  
annoying-little-girl**

Thank you so much for reviewing everyone!

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_


	23. From A Father To His Daughter

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 23**

_From A Father To His Daughter

* * *

_

**((Chihiro's POV))**

I was sitting in my office while Haku was helping Kentoku get some of his strength back by training. I was enjoying my book when Amaya burst into my room.

"CHIHIRO!" she cried, looking around for me in a panic.

I jumped up and grabbed her hands, "What is it?" I asked, fearing that Kallisto had returned.

Instead, she gave me a huge grin. "You'll never guess what just happened to me!"

"I won't?" I sighed visibly, glad that we were safe for now.

"PERUN PROPOSED!" Amaya squealed, doing a little dance, twirling around.

I starred at her spinning form in mute shock. Perun… proposed? "When?" I asked weakly.

"This morning! Ah it was so perfect Chihiro…" she said dreamily, but stopped when she saw me looking at the floor. "Chi, are you okay?"

I nodded my head, still looking at the floor. I really was fine, I was just really shocked. Perun never showed that much affection toward Amaya in front of everyone. She tilted her head to the side and studied me for a few seconds before she came to stand in front of me.

Since she was shorter, all she had to do was tilt her head back to look at my bowed one. "Are you upset that Haku hasn't proposed?"

I jerked my head up in surprise. "No! Of course not!" I said quickly. Amaya hardened her gaze into a glare. She knew I was lying, and so did I. "All right… you caught me. I'm more jealous that you can call him your fiancé and I can't."

"I can assure you that will change soon." A masculine voice said from the door. I looked over Amaya's shoulder to spy none other than Perun. "No doubt she told you?"

"Did you hear?" I asked with a smile.

He smirked. "Actually I didn't. I was on my way up here to talk to you really quick."

I furrowed my brow, "About what?" I asked.

"This actually."

Amaya looked at her fiancé quizzically, "What about it?"

"Um… Amaya, do you think you could give me a moment alone with Chihiro?" he asked her, and she looked somewhat surprised. No doubt that I was.

"Uh, sure Perun…" she said, going out to wait in the hall.

"So… what couldn't she hear?" I asked my friend, slightly confused now.

He smiled. "It's not that she can't hear, it's just… hard to explain. I didn't want her spreading the news around I guess. Not that she would… but still."

"What news?"

"I know that you might be a little upset that Haku hasn't proposed yet, and I'm actually very surprised I beat him in this, really, I am." Perun said with a chuckle. "But, I know that he plans to do it soon."

"How do you know?"

"Let's just say I've spotted him looking at a certain ring…"

My hands flew to my mouth, "He has a ring!" I exclaimed.

Perun's eyes widened in fear, "Ssh! Not so loud! You're not supposed to know!"

"Well I figured that…" I told him, "But he has a ring… do you know when he's going to propose?"

"That I have absolutely no leads on. But don't worry Chihiro, he loves you. I have a gut feeling that he's going to propose when this is all over, but I'm not sure. I just proposed to Amaya now in case either of us didn't make it out of this alive."

"Perun!" I cried, looking at him in astonishment, "Don't talk like that!"

"I know… but both of us are fighting, and it's hard to watch someone else's back and your own. We both know that. Plus, I thought it would make Amaya feel better about having… um…"

"Sex before she weds?" I suggested, watching him turn red with faint amusement.

"Yeah… that." He said, looking at the ground. He shook his head slightly and looked back up at me. "I may not be able to help you much on this, but you could ask my father about it. I've discovered that he knows a lot about people by just watching them. He's the one that assured me that Amaya wouldn't say no-"

"You mean you weren't sure?" I asked with a laugh. He blushed and opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. "A blind spirit could tell you that she's totally all yours. But, I guess it's just the way men are."

"How are men exactly?" Haku asked, coming into the room.

I smiled brightly at him. "Nothing you need to worry over!"

He frowned at me. "Whenever you tell me that, I've learned to worry."

I laughed, and Perun joined in. "Haku, she's serious," he said, clapping his brother on the shoulder, "It's really nothing you should be worried about." And with that, he left my room to join Amaya.

Haku turned back to look at me. "Are you sure?"

I leaned up and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "I'm positive. How was training?"

He shuffled from foot to foot, something I quickly learned that he did only when he was extremely nervous or about to bring something important up. "I was actually wondering… if you still wanted to learn how to use the sword."

My eyes widened. This certainly wasn't what I was expecting him to bring up. "You mean you'll teach me?"

His eyes lit up and he smiled down at me. "Sadly, I would love to teach you. But, I'm not exactly the best teacher for beginners. My father gladly pointed out that I don't have much patience. So, he'll be teaching you at first. You get along with him just fine, correct?"

I smiled at the thought of spending more time with my father-in-law-to-be. "Yeah, we get along just fine. When do I start?"

"Whenever he's ready I guess. I'm not sure if he went back up to his room or if he's still downstairs in the practice rooms. You might want to hurry and see."

* * *

I changed quickly and dashed down numerous flights of stairs to the practice rooms in the basement. This was where the warriors that we freed would train and freshen up, show our fighters a few new moves and vise versa. It was actually a fantastic system, and was working very effectively. I found Kentoku with a staff in hand, slowly moving through forms. His eyes were closed, and I knew that he was doing these from memory. 

It was a pleasure to just watch him. It wasn't because I thought he looked handsome, but it was just the fact that it was… soothing to watch him. He was so light on his feet; he moved with an unmatched grace that could probably rival Haku's balance, and he moves like the water he is.

I took a few steps toward him, trying not to make a sound. Suddenly, Kentoku stopped moving and turned to face me. "Hello Chihiro. Come to practice?"

"Yes… sorry I disturbed you."

"It's quite all right. I knew that you were here since you entered the room."

"You did?" I asked, blinking my eyes a few times.

He smiled faintly. "Yes, I did. I also know that you were watching me."

I blushed, "Sorry…"

He waved it off. "Nothing is wrong with that. If I had known you were interested, I would have done something more entertaining." I smiled and decided not to say anything else. I was embarrassed enough I thought. He put the staff against the wall and came to stand a few feet in front of me. "So, Haku's finally you learn how to use a sword?"

"He is. He sent me down here because-"

"He has no patience, right?" I nodded and he smiled. "Good. I didn't think he would actually admit it."

"Admit it?"

"Haku is very proud. He hates admitting his faults. But he's also smart enough to know when he has to confess about things. This would be one of those times."

"How do you know about him not being the most patient person?"

"Oh I can tell. He is my son after all." Kentoku said, crossing his arms. "Besides, I'm the one that managed to break him and let you do this."

I smiled brightly up at him. "Really? Thank you so much!"

"Not a problem." He said, inclining his head to me. He gestured with his hand, and a sword appeared before me. "This is for you." He told me, and gestured again. This time, a belt and scabbard appeared at my waist. "Now, this is when you formally start training. The sword is nothing like a bow, so therefore I will teach you differently… very differently. If you liked my teaching style then, forget about it now. I'm probably going to be the last person you want to spend time with. You may even feel like running me through. But that's the best way to learn."

"It is? That doesn't exactly make much sense Kentoku."

"Good, because it's not." He told me seriously, going to go get his own sword on a rack. "Anger and frustration are good motivators. You may not think so now, but they are.

"When you're angry, you have the drive and want to do it right, just to prove whoever made you mad that you really can do it right. The end result it very nice and you feel extremely accomplished… not to mention you've gotten the person to respect you more. Frustration works the exact same way, believe it or not. But when you accomplish something you've been frustrated about, you feel better about yourself than you do when you've been angry."

"And how do you know all of this?"

"Because I've been trained once, long ago. Listen to me carefully Chihiro. In the next few days, you'll come to hate me. Don't object now, because you'll soon learn that I'm right. Now, I want to see you copy me…"

* * *

Oh was he right. By the end of the lesson, I wanted to punch something… really, _really_, **really** hard. 

"Stop. That is enough." He said, sheathing his sword. I did the same, and began to stalk out of the room. But his voice stopped me. "Was I right Chihiro?"

I spun around to face him. "Can I please punch something?" I said in a level voice.

He threw his head back and laughed. "Now, now, you did well. Haku would be impressed. He told me why he didn't want you to learn how to use a sword."

Despite my anger, he had caught my attention. "Why is that?"

"Three reasons. One, it really isn't becoming for a lady, but I think you've shown us that you're not exactly normal. Two, he thought that you didn't have the determination and will do it. Once again, you've proved us wrong on that account. And third… he knew that he couldn't teach you, at least not at first."

I tilted my head to the side, my anger vanishing slowly. "Why?"

"He's not patient enough, and would eventually blow. You know that."

"Yes… but why is that a reason to not teach me?"

"Have you ever seen him truly mad?"

"No… why?"

Kentoku nodded, expecting that answer. "Neither have I. And by the stories I've heard, I don't want to. He's told me that he has a nasty temper. Coming from Haku… it has to be true, and his temper has to be horrendous. But the reason he didn't want to teach you was something I wouldn't expect him to say.

"He told me that he didn't want to teach you because he loved you too much. I know that doesn't make much sense, but hear me out. He knew that he didn't have the patience and would get angry beyond all reason over nothing. He knew that you would demand what was wrong with him, and that would anger him further. Then he would say things he didn't mean, and would instantly regret. But deep down he knew that there was no way you would listen to him after the things he told you. If he taught you, he knew it would break what you two beyond repair.

"He cares that much. I thought it was a little overwhelming at first… but then I saw his eyes after he was done explaining. I knew then that every word he said came from the heart. I trusted him on this account; he wasn't lying to me. He loves you; don't ever doubt that. If you ever doubt that he doesn't love you, then you must be blind.

"Every time I see him look at you, I see a degree of love that I've never seen nor felt. Every time he talks to you, his voice takes on a softer tone, a tone that he reserves just for you. Every time you're in the room, he's immediately more relaxed and tuned into anything you're doing. Every time you speak to him he treasures each word you say and treats your opinions about everyone else's. Every time he hears your name, his eyes brighten and his demeanor changes.

"It may not be your official title yet, but you are beyond worthy of it... my daughter."

* * *

**((Kentoku's POV))**

I think that's the longest speech I've ever given in my life. But it was special, and not just because it was long.

I meant what I said. Every single word.

And I think Chihiro knew I did.

She was starring the floor, and refused to look up at me. I saw a tear fall from her eye and flicker in the light before it hit the floor. I must be a sucker for crying women, but I didn't really care. I walked over and wrapped the young woman in an embrace. It wasn't like when I hugged Lavanya, or even Rin. I hugged her like a father would a daughter. She leaned into me and cried. I rubbed her back and let her cry. It was a lot to take in at once, and coming from me it probably had to mean more to her than if it came from Amaya or Rin.

Haku came in and saw us, or rather Chihiro crying. His eyes became fearful and he flew to her side. He put his hands on her shoulders, his voice laced with worry. "Chihiro… what's wrong?"

I handed her over to my eldest son, and he wrapped her in his arms and whispered soothing words in her ear. He looked up at me questioningly.

But I shook my head. "She's fine, honestly." With my job for the day done, I began to walk for the door. I only took about two steps before Chihiro stopped me.

"Kentoku."

I turned around to face her. "Yes Chihiro?"

"Thank you."

I nodded in response, and began my way to the door.

But she wasn't done. "And I don't hate you anymore."

I stopped walking and turned around her, a smile on my lips. I walked back over and kissed her gently on her brow. "That's good to hear. I might fix that tomorrow."

She laughed, "No, I really don't think you will."

I smiled again, "Perhaps. I guess we'll have to wait and see. Good day to the both of you." I told the both of them, walking away from the couple.

"Father… what did you say to her?" Haku called out to me, stopping me for the third time that day.

"Nothing." Chihiro told him, burying her head in his chest.

I smiled softly at my son. "It's truly nothing.

"Just wisdom from a father passed onto his daughter."

And with that, I left the both of them alone.

* * *

A/N: I think that this was my most favorite chapter to type so far. It really was... but the whole Chihiro learning how to use a sword wasn't planned, but you guys really didn't need to know that... 

Okay, I REALLY need another character. My only requirement is that's she be a female. Let me know if you havea character for me, and I'll pick the one best for the position.

**StrugglingArtist  
Princess of the Wind  
Kataan  
Priestess Kohana  
Lillix Vail  
Ravenna's Soul  
mistress of mist**

And a special note to the following reviewers...

**Giddyupgal** - I'm actually a bright and happy person, and probably too much of it at times. I'm actually surprised that I've got some sad stuff in here, and even more surprised it didn't turn out half bad. ((lol)) And I'm glad that you liked Perun. It's funny, because I can see him doing that too... :)

**Mushrambolover** - I think they need to make a second Spirited Away, but I know that they won't. Maybe I should aspire to make one that follows this story line... ((lol)) Fat chance. But, I'm glad that you can see this. I like it when that happens, it means I must be doing _something_ right...

And an even **more** important notice to the following revier...

**Mistress of Kohaku** - Well, if you want a lemon for Haku and Chihiro... **go look somewhere else**. You're not going to, and you will never, see it here. I'm just starting my freshman year in highschool next year, and I'm not the person to write something like that. I have nothing against lemons, I'll admit I've read a few... but I will **NEVER** write one. So, I hope I haven't turned you away from this story because I won't write one, but I'll say now that if you don't read this anymore because of that, it's your loss. I don't mean to come across as rude or mean... but I just _really_ want to get my point across.

Everyone... 

I tell you now, **I will never write lemons for any fandom**. If I do, it will not be for a **_VERY, VERY, VERY_** long time. I'm not against them, I'm just against _writing_ them.

Thank you for the reviews everyone! Mwah! I luv you all:)

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_


	24. Life Is Sweet

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 24**

_Life Is Sweet

* * *

_

**((Haku's POV))**

This was odd. Really odd. It's been almost two weeks since Kallisto attacked, and there hasn't been any sign of her or her forces anywhere within one hundred miles of the bathhouse. Is it her habit to run away and hide like this? And what was the whole deal with poisoning the water supply? It didn't harm many of us, and it was really easy to recover from.

After about thirty minutes of thinking the same things and coming up with nothing new, I got up from my desk and went up to my father's rooms. While walking to the elevator, Perun came out.

"Oh, hey Haku." He said, giving me a wave, walking down the hall to Amaya's room. My visit to my father could be delayed long enough to tease my brother. I turned around and smirked at him. He frowned, "Oh no… what are you thinking now? You smirking is a dangerous sign."

"Aw, that hurts." I replied sarcastically, holding a hand to my heart. "I was just inquiring as to where you were headed."

"I'm going to see Amaya… is that bad?"

My smirk grew bigger, "Oh no, that's absolutely fine. Just make sure you keep the volume down to a minimum, alright?"

"Su-" he began, but his face immediately went red when he got my underlying suggestion. "HAKU!"

I laughed and hopped into the elevator. "Make her happy!" I called back in a cheery voice before the elevator doors closed.

Life is sweet.

* * *

"Good! Quicker next time Chihiro!" My father called, followed by a sword striking another. "Whoa! But watch where you're swinging!" 

Chihiro laughed, "You told me to do that Kentoku!"

"Yes but that was _really_ close!" he retorted, the both of them laughing. I leaned against the doorway and watched them, well, mostly Chihiro. She was naturally graceful, but that's not what I saw. She didn't move like water, and she wasn't fast as the wind. She was just her, giving the art of swordplay a new flare. She had her flaws, I caught a few, but that didn't matter. She could do it, and that's what made me proud.

No longer was she the ten-year-old child that I helped get a job. That Chihiro is long gone, only to be replaced by a young and enchanting woman. That woman is still there, but she has changed so much. She knows that nothing comes easy, and you have to work for what you want. She knows even more so now that war isn't pretty and sacrifices have to be made. She understands what life's all about. I know that if she hadn't looked back that day ten years ago, she wouldn't be the woman she is today. I assume she would still be slightly whiny, but with a backbone. I knew that she would never find who she was back there in the human world. She belonged here. Chihiro enjoyed the colors and magic of this place. I can't imagine life without her, and I'm sure neither can the rest of the bathhouse.

Heck, even Kentoku would miss her. She brings out the younger man in him so easily. She's like the daughter he never had. I smiled at the thought. _'Oh, she'll be his daughter soon enough. He'll have two to be exact.' _

"Good, good! Now, try that again." Kentoku said, taking a guard stance.

Chihiro's shoulders sagged. "Again? But if it was good why do I have to do it again?"

"That's the whole idea of being a swordsman." I called out, coming into the room. "Being a swordsman allows you to move and fight without you thinking about what you're doing. The moves and patterns are supposed to come to you. But you can't do them without thinking unless you can do them in your sleep."

"Oh." She said quietly, and Kentoku smiled.

"Well, I think that shut her up, what about you?"

She spun around and glared at my father, "Hey!"

He chuckled as he handed his sword over to me. "She's all yours."

Chihiro paled. "Wh… what?" she asked weakly.

I smiled sadly. No doubt she heard why I didn't want to teach her in the first place. I looked at my father in the eye. "Are you sure?"

"Did you not see her?" he asked me sternly, "She's ready. Why can't you just do it?"

I sighed, and took the hilt of the sword. He let it go, bowed to us, and then left the room. I looked at Chihiro with a sad smile. "You're going to hate me."

"That's exactly what Kentoku said," She told me, "and I never really hated him."

"You may not hate me, but you'll definitely be mad." I told her gravely. Chihiro was about to protest, but she saw the look in my eyes and nodded. I leaned down and kissed her softly on the cheek. Who knows when I'm going to get one of those in after this.

* * *

My temper hadn't surfaced once. Chihiro made extra careful to pay attention and do everything correctly. I wanted to hug her, I really did. But I feel like she's not getting in real training… 

"Chihiro." I said, lowering my sword.

She looked up at me, thinking I was mad. "Yes?" she asked in a shaky voice.

I smiled sadly. "I'm not mad," I assured her, "but I think you've really got this. Do you wish to duel?"

She looked at me, slightly startled. "Um… why not?"

I smiled and took my stance, and she followed my example. We squared off, and I came at her, hard. She danced back and stopped all of my blows. Then, she slipped to the ground and rolled. Not expecting her to do that, I spun around and raised my blade to block hers in the space of a few seconds. That shook me up a bit. She was a lot faster than I thought she was, and she definitely knew a few tricks. Well… two could play that game.

Now I was on the defense, but I hooked her sword around the hilt, and attempted to get it out of her grasp, but it failed.

She tightened her grip, and forced my blade down, then flicked hers to the side. In utter shock, I watched my sword fly from my hand, and hers snake up to rest in front of my throat.

Note to self: she's good.

* * *

After the duel, I searched for my father to ask him the question that originally led me downstairs anyway. I found him in the practice room across the hall, coaching Perun. No fair… I wanted coaching. I tossed that thought aside and called out to him. The sparing stopped and Kentoku looked up at me. 

"Yes?"

"I was wondering if I could have a word with you."

He shrugged and sheathed his sword. "I don't see why not." He came over an stood before me, sweating slightly from swordplay, "What do you need me for?"

"Is this normal?"

"What?"

"For Kallisto to be gone this long? It been nearly two weeks!"

To my surprise, he actually laughed, "Son, she's known to disappear for a year or two. She usually lets you know, don't worry. I told Yubaba that she might be gone for an extended period of time, and she went… well… wild. I think she's planning some sort of ball…"

My face paled. "A ball. You let Yubaba plan a ball?"

"Is that a bad thing?"

I sighed and rubbed my temple, "That really depends. The first ball she planned resulted in the Druids almost kidnapping me."

His eyes widened slightly, "Really? I believe I have not heard this story. May I hear it?"

I told him the quick version, but not leaving anything important out. My father smiled at the image of Chihiro summoning fire dragons. "So… how exactly does she do it?"

"I haven't the faintest idea. That's something you'll have to ask her."

"So… you've seen them?"

"I have… why?"

"What do they look like?"

I was a little curious as to why he was asking, but I answered it anyway, "Well, they look like me except-"

"Well that doesn't help me. I haven't seen you as a dragon."

My eyes widened, "You've got to be kidding me! Has Perun?"

"I don't believe so…" Kentoku replied, wondering where this train of thought would lead me.

I focused my energy, and I slowly melded into my dragon form. But before he could get a full view of me, I flew off. I flew in front of Perun, who was doing forms and gave him a pretty good scare. Watching him fly back out of surprise and scream is priceless. I noticed Chihiro come in when she heard Perun scream, and I mentally smiled. I flew toward her and Perun saw what was going on. Except, well, he didn't know it was me.

"Chihiro! Watch out!" he cried, pointing to my white blur. She saw me and smiled. She jogged to the center of the room and watched me circle her from a distance. In an instant, I was by her side with my back feet on the ground, while my front feet where on her right shoulder. My head extended above hers, and I looked like a dragon claiming his prize. Perun informed me of this later, which got a blush out of me, much to his amusement.

Until then, he was starring at me in amazement, and Kentoku nodded in approval. To make fun of Perun further, I looked at him and growled. He jumped, and everyone laughed. I smiled, well, it looked like I was baring my teeth. I assumed everyone knew that, but evidently Perun didn't. He took a few steps back, and Chihiro put an end to my teasing.

"Oh Haku, for goodness sake! He gets it all ready! Now, come down here." I lowered my head for her, and she began to scratch in between my horns. My eyes closed in pleasure… _that_ felt good. Perun laughed at my expression, and I snapped my teeth. That shut him up.

* * *

**((Chihiro's POV))**

Well… it's official. The ball is on. We're dead sure that Kallisto isn't going to be attacking for at least a month or two, and that's completely fine with us. The actual ball is tonight, and everyone is pumped and ready to go. I'm just sacred because we are required to dance with two men. So that means with one man, I get to embarrass myself and show him how bad I am at dancing. How come Haku never took me up on those dancing lessons? Oh dear… I guess it's a little too late to ask for them now…

I smoothed my dress nervously and looked at myself in the mirror. I was sick of wearing reds and golds. I wanted to wear something soft, not bright. After looking and last minute alterations, I had the dress that I wanted. It was pale lavender ball gown that brushed the floor. It was strapless and hugged my figure and poofed out at my waist. Under my bosom was a silver clasp that held together a piece of light pink fabric. It wrapped all around me and ended about an inch where the actual dress did. It didn't wrap all the way around me, so you could still see the lavender beneath. The pink had silver trim, accenting the transition of colors. My long hair had been trimmed and was pilled elegantly on top of my head. Kasumi had been an angel and did it for me, adding numerous sparkles so my hair glimmered no matter what angle the light caught it at.

Amaya was a vision. She had taken her element and was practically wearing it. The entire top half of her dress was consisted of embroidered pink flowers. The flowers stopped at her hips, and a dull but beautiful green fell down and trailed behind her. Her blonde hair was down, but once again, Kasumi had outdone herself. Amaya's hair had been straightened to perfection, and a pink flower was pinned up in her hair.

I was surprised when Yubaba said that Rin was to dress up. She said that Rin was her best worker, and had saved Kentoku. Therefore, she was to be a normal guest. Rin herself was shocked beyond all belief, but went along with the show. She was actually in a dress, and a beautiful one at that.

It was a black and white halter dress with numerous flowers of many different varieties. It had a corset like tying in the back, and she was a little uncomfortable about that, but Kasumi forced her into it anyway. The interesting thing was that the bottom of the dress wasn't the same as the top. Where Rin's shins were, the black and white flower material stopped. Instead, plain white material fell to the floor. It fit her like a glove, and Amaya actually applauded. Kasumi had wanted to do her hair, but Rin protested. In the end, she won. Amaya and I starred at her when she came out of the bathroom after five minutes of doing her hair.

There was no way she did that in five minutes.

Her waist length hair was out of its low ponytail… and curled! Dark brown hair cascaded down her back in curly waves and framed her face with an unmatched grace. I smiled at the vision that was the woman I looked up to as an older sister. "You look beautiful Rin."

The older woman blushed and looked down at her hands. "Thank you." She murmured.

Amaya clapped her hands together, startling Rin and me. "Now! Time for make-up!"

"Make-up?" Rin and I squeaked.

She laughed, "Yes, make-up! Come on, you guys have worn it before!" When neither of us answered, Amaya looked at us in bewilderment. "You mean you have never worn make-up! Oh what a sin! Follow me ladies, it's time to transform you!"

* * *

**((End POV))**

The music was loud and everyone was dancing with a partner of their choice, and enjoying the temporary peace that had shown itself. No one knew when Kallisto would return, but right now, people didn't care. Haku and Perun were talking and enjoying a glass of wine when Yubaba clapped her hands. The music died down, and everyone stopped dancing, looking up at the mistress of the bathhouse.

"This is certainly a time to celebrate. Peace has found us amidst this chaos, yet we still stand strong. Let us relax, but not forget that not everything is back to normal. But don't let the topic of war be talked about tonight. Let the conversations be filled with joy and hopes of this peace we've found. I hate to say it, but let there be gossip again! The bathhouse maids seem so depressed without the knowledge of who's seeing whom. Let this bathhouse become what it once was in hopes that this war may soon end!"

Cheering followed. No one cheered because they had to, but because they wanted to. Everyone wanted to see this peace last, and they would do anything to achieve it. Even Haku cheered along with everyone else. But he should have known there was a catch.

Yubaba raised her hands again, and the cheering and chatter ceased. "And what a better way to celebrate with a feast! Let this be a merry night, filled with laughter and dancing! And of course, someone needs to open the dances! Of course, there are three men who would fit the part, and I can't possibly choose which one. So, all three shall dance!"

The warriors, maids, and some customers that had begun filtering back to the bathhouse cheered. Haku looked at Perun with a slight amount of fear.

"What is she doing?" Perun asked his older brother.

Haku shrugged, "I have no idea Perun… but I don't like where this train of thought is going…"

"She wants us to lead the opening dances." Kentoku said, coming up behind his sons, supporting his own glass of wine.

Perun's eyes widened, "Oh please say that this is some kind of joke."

"How I wish it was." His father answered, downing the rest of his glass. "If I'm dancing, I'm going to need another one of these."

"NOW!" Yubaba cried, "Can Lord Kentoku, Haku, and Perun please come forward?"

Kentoku closed his eyes and sighed as Haku laughed, "I guess your second glass will have to wait."

As the three men stepped onto the platform, everyone cheered. Yubaba held out a hat to them and shook it slightly. "In here you will find a few names of people that I have picked who would be excellent dance partners. Of course, each of you, well, rather Haku and Perun, will dance with their ladies."

"And I'm free game." Kentoku said in a monotone voice, crossing his arms.

The witch smiled, "Exactly! Now, I would volunteer you, but I think Haku's the best dancer."

Haku had been taking a sip of his wine, and nearly chocked, "I beg your pardon?"

Perun laughed and slapped his brother on the back. "All right! Draw a name Haku!"

"Both of you suck." He growled, handing his glass to Perun, but Kentoku grabbed it before Perun even touched it.

"And this shall be my second glass!" he said with a flourish, and took a sip. Everyone laughed, and Haku frowned.

"Fine." He muttered, reaching into the hat. He closed his eyes and prayed it wasn't some bathhouse maid. He drew out a name, and slowly unfolded it… and laughed.

"Chihiro!" he cried, showing the paper to Yubaba with a grin.

She huffed in annoyance and snatched the paper away from him. "Fine, don't let me have any fun. Doormen, let in Chihiro!"

The lights dimmed and the lights were raised next to the door, illuminating the dark wood. They opened to reveal the black hall. At first no one stood there. Then with a burst of flames, Chihiro stood there in all of her beauty.

Haku's breath hitched as he watched his lover walk down the stairs toward him. He jumped off the platform and walked briskly toward her. They met on the middle of the dance floor and she smiled sweetly.

"Hello Haku."

He was speechless. Her hair glittered, her dress sighed when she moved, and her eyes seemed to be accented with a deep brown. Haku knew that Amaya must have gotten a hold of her, and he wanted to kiss the woman. Chihiro was beautiful.

She frowned slightly. "Haku? Are you alright?" she asked.

He smiled down at her and kissed her brow. "I'm stunned." He said quietly as the music started. They danced beautifully without a flaw throughout the entire dance.

"He really is good. Yubaba wasn't kidding." Kentoku said, leaning down to whisper his son's ear.

"I know… he's putting me to shame." Perun whispered back, and his father straightened up with a smile, watching the last part of the dance. The two stopped dancing, and were greeted with a salvo of applause. Haku bowed to Chihiro, and she offered him a curtsy. They walked back up to the platform, and Yuabab gestured for them to take a seat.

They sat down, and the witch turned to Perun with a smirk. "You're turn good sir."

Perun let out a soft groan, and hesitantly put a hand in the bag. He pulled out a name, and read it out clearly for everyone to hear: "Amaya!"

Yubaba stamped her foot, "How do you do that! This isn't fun at all!"

Perun laughed, handing her the paper, "Does it look like I care?" he asked with a grin and jumped off the platform, walking to the center of the floor and looked up eagerly at the wooden doors. The lights dimmed, and the door opened to reveal… flowers?

He looked at them, extremely confused. His confusion turned into amazement when they began to gather into a form of a woman. With a flash of light, his fiancé stood there, wearing the same pink flowers on her dress. He smiled like and idiot and walked toward her as she descended down the stairs. Perun met her at the bottom, and kissed her hand.

"You look amazing."

Amaya blushed at the simple compliment. "Thank you."

"And I must say that I love that dress. Wear it more often, okay?"

She laughed, "And where would I wear it?"

Perun shrugged and led her out to the dance floor. "I don't know. You're smart; you can figure it out." As they reached the center, the music didn't start. The couple looked over at the musicians, who were currently handing off their instruments to a couple of ex-Druids.

"What's going on?" Perun called, still holding Amaya's hand.

One man, holding a violin, stepped forward. "Well, everyone here knows that you two were Druids, as we once were as well. You know our dances, and we know how to play them. No one here has seen them, and you two are the perfect people to do it."

Amaya blinked a few times. "You've got to be kidding me."

The man smiled and bowed, "I'm not my lady. Perhaps you would like to choose the song?"

"I still don't know about this… what songs can you play?" Perun asked.

The man smiled even wider. "How about Requiem?"

Amaya grinned, and Perun paled. Just as he was about to ask for a different option, his fiancé spoke. "That sounds wonderful! Play away."

The man took his seat, and so did the temporary musicians. Amaya walked a distance away from him and kept her back to him. Perun turned around and faced away from her as well, praying to anyone that would listen that he could still do this.

The lights went down, and a few along the walls stayed on, giving the room and dark and forbidding feel. A few overhead lights slowly came on, giving the dancers some light. The music was loud and harsh, but it had a ring to it.

Perun spun around and tried to grab Amaya's hand, but she danced away. He tried again, but she did the exact same thing. Instead of being a gentleman, he grabbed her around the waist, and spun her around.

Her face was hard, and so was his. They betrayed no emotion, and the crowd started to grow apprehensive, thinking that they weren't pleased about something. Kentoku smiled to himself. As Phobos, he remembered this dance very well. It was a dark song with a hint of anger in the notes. But it was still beautiful.

The couple started to dance something that was a mixture of a tango and free style. They danced across the floor before he gave her a twirl. The green material of her dress flew out like a banner, and she was set gently back down and she spun away. Perun followed her, and they did a few steps across the floor. Their faces remained blank, but Amaya's seemed to be slipping slightly. They danced elegantly, and the music reached a crescendo. They let go of each other and Amaya took a few steps back.

They stayed like that for a few seconds before she ran straight at Perun. He picked her up around the waist and they spun, her dress fluttering in their wake. The music died down and voices came through, and they danced slowly. The music picked up again, and then dropped. They danced along with the music, allowing the audience to become completely absorbed into what they were doing.

Now their emotionless masks dropped and they showed determination and passion. As the music began to end, Perun pulled her in quickly. He starred into her eyes as one of her hands came to rest on his chest, their hands still locked from dancing. His free hand reached up to caress her cheek. As the last chord was struck, he kissed her.

The lights came up, and everyone was clapping, cheering, and calling for an encore. Perun broke away and smiled down at her, and she kissed him lightly on the cheek. He led her to the table that Haku and Chihiro were sitting at, and he patted Perun on the back.

"Good job Perun, wonderful dancing you two!"

Chihiro smiled and gave Amaya a brief hug, "That was amazing! Do you think you could teach me and Haku to do that?"

Perun looked at Amaya and smirked, "We might be able to." He said, without turning away from her red eyes.

Yubaba clapped, "Splendid job Perun and Amaya! Now, it's Kentoku's turn!"

All of the maids snapped to attention, waiting for him to draw a name. Haku quickly assessed that most of their names were in the hat, and they were all dying to dance with the powerful spirit.

Kentoku finished his wine, and Yubaba took the empty glass from him. He reached into the hat and pulled out the final name…

"Rin." He said loudly, giving the slip of paper to Yubaba without showing his feelings on his face. The room became hushed, and everyone pushed Rin to the center. When he saw her, Kentoku nearly stumbled. Who was this woman before him? Because he was dead sure this wasn't her!

Instead of going down the stairs of the platform like he thought he would, he jumped off just like his sons. He walked toward Rin and bowed. She offered him a brief curtsy and looked warily up at him. He held out his hand, which she took. Kentoku raised her hand to his lips and kissed it softly.

"I'll try to make this painless as possible. I assume this wasn't on your agenda?"

"Was it on yours?" she retorted softly as the two began to waltz.

He almost smiled. "Touché, it wasn't. But, I haven't found a way to politely say no to Yubaba."

Rin snorted, "Please, let me know when you figure it out because I would desperately would like to know."

"I shall." He promised her, giving her a spin. Once they resumed their positions, they both noticed that they were closer. But to everyone's surprise, including theirs, they didn't do anything to fix it.

Kentoku was marveling just how much fun dancing in general was becoming. He assumed that it had something to do with him dancing with Rin, but he didn't really care. He was having fun, and that hardly ever happened. Hopefully Yubaba wouldn't make them dance again.

Rin was thinking along the same lines… except she would have loved to dance with him again. _'He's such a fabulous dancer…'_ she thought to herself. She was somewhat nervous and unsure about how exactly she was going to look at him after this. One dance shouldn't have changed anything, but it did. Rin found herself enjoying holding his hand and having his hand on her waist. She knew that this was wrong, but this was the first time she even thought about having someone else in her life since her husband died. Now the thought didn't seem so wrong. Actually, it seemed almost welcome. But wasn't welcome was who she was picturing herself with. It was wrong; that picture shouldn't exist.

But it did. In both of their minds.

The song ended, and Kentoku offered Rin a seat at the almost full table. Yubaba called the three men up again, and they drew a second name. The old witch swore that this was the last assigned dancing for all of them.

Haku drew first again, and pulled out Amaya's name. They did a quick step, and they were both laughing as they walked back to the table. "I just remembered why I don't like that dance," Haku explained in between attempts to catch his breath, "it's so darn **fast**!"

Next went Perun, who drew Rin. They danced a traditional dance for the time of year, and soon found themselves connecting. They didn't know each other that well, but it's amazing what one dance can do.

And finally, Kentoku drew Chihiro. She was a bundle of nerves, but he quickly got rid of them when he kissed her hair, just like a father who was comforting his daughter. And in a way, that analogy fit. They waltzed, and Haku couldn't help but smile, and neither could Perun or Amaya. It was just beautiful. The dance ended, and he returned Chihiro to her seat next to Haku. Kentoku kissed her brow, and did the same for Amaya. Everyone was shocked, but said nothing. He sat down, and the feast commenced.

After a few minutes of idle chatter, the conversation turned to everyone's dancing ability.

"I'm just curious how the same three names were drawn." Haku said, taking a sip of wine.

Kentoku snorted, "You didn't catch it? Yubaba only had three names in there. She wrote each name multiple times so you thought that there was a good selection of names."

Perun starred at him in disbelief. "Oh there's no way. Did she honestly do that?"

Chihiro frowned, "I hardly find it funny or amusing, let alone fair anyone who thought that they were in that hat. But, it does sound like something Yubaba would do."

"Sadly, it does." Amaya agreed, "But still, I can't complain. Dancing with Perun was amazing! Not to mention he's a fair good dancer at Requiem. No one else could do it as well as he could back when we were Druids."

Everyone laughed when he blushed.

Haku and Chihiro had retired a while ago, while Amaya and Perun stayed up a little longer. About an hour later, they followed the other couple's example. Everyone else left in trickles, but the feast was still going strong. To everyone's surprise, Kentoku asked Rin for another dance, and then another. But, Yubaba was smiling to herself. Oh how she just loved to meddle. Kentoku may not know it now, but Yubaba had it all set up. And she was going to see her plan work no matter what.

After a few more dances, Rin was feeling tired. She hadn't danced with anyone else but Kentoku since the feast began, except Perun. But that was only once. She had to admit that she loved to dance with Kentoku, but she would never say it to his face. After a foxtrot, she had to call it a night.

Fanning herself, she looked up at her dance partner. "This has been a wonderful evening, but I don't think I could dance another step."

He nodded and offered his arm to her. "I agree. Come, I'll take you back to your room."

She blushed and shook her head. "It's fine. I don't have a room of my own."

He raised his eyebrow, "Is that so? Aren't you the best worker?"

"It doesn't matter. I still share a room with about nine Yunas."

"Nine women? What kind of place is Yubaba running?" Kentoku asked, shocked.

Rin looked at him over her shoulder, picking up her dress and started ascending the stairs. "A bathhouse." She said simply, and went through the double doors.

Kentoku stood at the foot of the stairs, starring at the now closed doors. 'What just happened there?' he wondered silently. He didn't pause and think about the situation, but walked briskly up the stairs and through the double doors. Rin hadn't left at all. She was leaning against the wall a few feet down the hall.

"Rin? Is something wrong?" he asked, coming to stand in front of her. He squatted down so he was below her, and forced her to look at him.

"It's nothing. Just admitting I share a room with nine women isn't exactly something I'm proud of."

He smiled slightly, standing up. "No matter where you sleep, I'll take you back." He assured her, offering her his arm once more.

She took it with a small smile, and she guided him through the numerous halls of the bathhouse to her room that she shared with the other women. She let go of his arm and turned to look up at him with a smile. "Thank you."

"You're quite welcome Rin." He said with a smile, and kissed her hand. She smiled and entered her room as Kentoku walked back down the hall. He watched where he was going, but he was thinking intently.

This wasn't right. Sharing a room isn't bad, but with nine women? He shook his head to clear that thought out of his mind. It wasn't his business. But once Kentoku thought about something long enough, it stuck.

* * *

A/N: I'm back from vacation and writing! Yay! I hoped you all liked the longer chapter! I hope I did a good job with the dresses, but I know that describing something isn't my forte. Here's the links from the dresses - remove the spaces! 

www . promgirl . net / prdr65 . html (Chihrio)  
www . promgirl . net/ promdress2264 . html (Amaya)  
www . promgirl . net / promdress6701 . html (Rin)

Yay! I hoped you liked them, and the chapter!

**Wings of Tears  
Lillix Vail  
Priestess Kohana  
The Moon Dancer  
Kataan  
StrugglingArtist  
XxLil-AngelxX  
mistress of mist  
Giddyupgal  
Princess of Wind  
Spirited Child  
annoying-little-girl  
Yuki9283**

Thank you for reviewing everyone!

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_


	25. Rianna

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 25**

_Rianna

* * *

_

**((Kallisto's POV))**

I needed more people. I mainly needed to get rid of Chihiro so she would stop freeing my warriors. But where would I get spirits willing to join me? If they're willing, they don't need collars… I smiled. I knew now where I was going to get them. I called for Maeve. She was in my office within two minutes. "Yes my lady?" she asked, coming to stand before my desk.

"We need to move back, find a new hiding place."

"But what about the human children?"

"Make them spirits. All of them."

Maeve's eyes widened. "My lady, are you mad? We don't have enough magic spirits to do that!"

"Then work overtime. We need to move, this base is known to two people within the League. I can't risk them finding us. Plus, we need more warriors."

"But Chihiro will just free them!"

"That's where you're wrong Maeve." I said, standing up. I began to explain why to my stupid second in command while walking lazily around my office. "You see, I only place my collar on those whom I need to stay in my service, those whom are close to me, and those whom I know will betray me. I don't place them on those whom I know will not run away. Those humans are convinced that I'm holy. You've seen them worship the ground I've walked on. Bring them up, and let them finally join my ranks."

Maeve swallowed visibly, and closed her eyes. "As you… command."

I smiled, sitting back down. "Good. Now, there is another matter. How long will making them spirits take?"

"If you mean all of them, at least a year or two."

"What?" I cried, leaning back. When Maeve didn't say anything else, I rubbed my temples. "Are you sure it can go no faster?"

"I am quite certain."

"Well, then we need to give the League something to remember us by then, don't we? Poison the water."

"My lady, we've already done that." Maeve said, "The concoction you ordered to be made was too weak."

I glared up at her. "Then make it stronger. Now get out of my sight!"

"Wait… shall we attack then as well?"

I looked up at her slowly. She looked nervous, but it went away when she saw my smile.

"Well done Maeve. Attack when they're weak… I like it. Start on the humans, and we'll take what we have into battle that day."

* * *

Two Weeks Later

**((Rin's POV))**

It's the water. It's been poisoned... **again**. I should have known better; Kallisto wouldn't leave without leaving us some kind of surprise. Perun has tried countless times to purify the water, but he's just wearing himself out, and so is Haku. Chihiro ordered him to stop, and it actually worked. Perun refused to give up, and she actually slapped him. That got him back in line. Amaya ordered him to rest for the rest of the day. He's seemed a lot more calm and submissive, but that's what happens I guess.

Felix fell ill, and I'm the one tending to him. It's completely ironic. I hate that general, but I can't exactly tell him off either. Yubaba made that VERY clear. The thing was, we didn't know which water kegs were poisoned and which ones were safe to drink. We couldn't exactly throw out all of our water, so we had to be careful. The poison couldn't be removed, and no matter how hot you boiled it the water was still unclean. Kallisto knew what she was doing; I'll give her that.

For a few days we lived in terror that we were drinking a bad keg. So far we've had no more casualties. Felix is doing better and has been passed off to another bathhouse worker... thank the gods. But we knew that there were people that we couldn't risk getting sick. Chihiro, Haku, Amaya, Perun, and Kentoku. Yubaba said that the bathhouse wouldn't die if she did, and I knew that took a lot for her to say that. But, it's the truth really. We guarded those five with the utmost care…

But we still failed. Kentoku is on the verge of death.

This can't be happening. The League forces have become shaken and anxious since they learned of Kentoku's health. He's been getting slightly better, but we're all afraid for him, and no one's afraid to admit it. I even find myself sweating if he's going to make it through the night.

And just when we needed something else to deal with, the Druids return.

I was guarding Kentoku. I didn't know why then, but I understood later. Chihiro was standing on a balcony, raining fire down on the Druid forces. Amaya stood next to her, making the earth under their makeshift camp shake. Perun and Haku fought bravely, and they caused tidal waves to crash up from the ocean below and crash into the oncoming waves. I was beginning to wonder where Kallisto had gotten more forces in such little time, but I soon discovered that I didn't have time to worry about that.

A force had gotten inside the bathhouse; I could hear them. I gripped my staff tighter, and readied myself. I knew where they were headed. Kallisto didn't trust poison to kill Kentoku. She wanted it done properly.

Sure enough, five men burst into Kentoku's sick room, swords drawn. I that they weren't expecting me, but I didn't give them a chance to register my presence. I leapt to my certain death, but I didn't care.

I just hoped that someone realized that Kentoku needed another protector.

* * *

**((Kentoku's POV))**

I hardly was ever conscious after I collapsed during a meeting. I would drift in and out of the darkness everyday. I could hear people talking, I could hear the worry and fear in their voices. More importantly I could hear Rin moving about the room, making sure that I was as comfortable as I could be. I wanted to tell her, to tell everyone that I wasn't going to die because of poison; I was going to die in battle. But I was never awake, or never had the strength to do it. So, I lied there and let everyone worry. I began to hate it… to loathe it.

I finally came around for the first time that day, and hear sword clanging, and shouts. I tried to move, and my hand twitched. Oh that was going to help a lot.

"Oh, so a lowly bathhouse worker protects the mighty warrior? How stupid." A man taunted, followed by more sword clanging.

"She can't even fight with a real sword! She has to use a wooden rod to-"

Thump!

I heard a body hit the floor. My heart froze. The person protecting me was a woman bathhouse worker that fought with a staff.

Rin.

I didn't know how many men there were, but I knew that she couldn't do it alone. There sounded like there was more than three, which means there had to be at least two left for her to battle. That wasn't good at all. I struggled to move. I needed to protect those who couldn't do so themselves; those who wanted it and those who didn't and those who didn't know they needed to be protected. Everyone. I swore that the day I picked up my naginata. I wasn't about to go back on that promise, even if I was ill.

Then I heard a feminine cry, and a thump against a wall. My eyes flew open, and angry coursed through my veins. No one had the right to hurt a woman, and they never would. I sat up, and noticed my sword propped up against the wall. I sat up slowly, and climbed out of my bed, and unsheathed it.

The men had dismissed me for unconscious, and were currently more interested in killing Rin. But when they heard the sword drawn, they spun around.

"It's not possible." One breathed, starring at me in fright.

"Nothing is impossible. You say that something is impossible is because you do not wish to believe that it can happen."

And with that… I swung.

I moved so fast it seemed like I was a blur. I sliced a man's throat, and then another man's chest with one swing. I must have been madder than I thought I was. I knew that I was supposed to lock my emotions away when I fought, but I let my anger drive my blade. I must say that it was positively the most violent and quickest display I have ever given. I was afraid that Rin was terrified, but I didn't let that stop me.

I didn't know if my anger of a man hurting a woman is what drove me, or if it was the fact that they threw Rin against a wall. I just hoped that she was all right, and I gave those men just what they deserved.

Now I was down to one man. I blocked his strike, kicked him in the gut, and spun around, driving the point of my sword straight through his heart. He let out a gurgle, and I jerked the sword a bit, making sure that my attack at hit true. Sure enough, this man would never see the sunlight again. My face remained impassive as I slid the bloody sword out of the man's chest, and he fell to the ground.

"Kentoku!" someone cried, but I knew it wasn't Rin. Chihiro and company burst into the room, and Haku raced over to me, Perun a heartbeat behind him. But I didn't acknowledge them at all. I dropped the red stained sword and looked for Rin. I found her crumpled on the floor, and I stumbled over. I fell to my knees next to her body and turned her over.

"Rin…" I whispered, my voice cracking with disuse.

She blinked, and looked up at me. She sat up slowly and starred at me for a few seconds before she spoke. "Kentoku! You're up!"

"Are you all right?" I asked, ignoring her statement of the obvious. When she nodded, I fell back into that cursed darkness.

* * *

**((Rin's POV))**

No one wanted to believe it, but they saw it. Kentoku woke up after almost a week of sleep and kicked some Druid ass in a matter of seconds, then went back to being unconscious. I could hardly believe it myself. But I saw the room, and I saw his clothes all bloody. Oh yes, he had done it.

Everyone came out with their own injuries, some worse than others. Perun has a medium sized slice on his left bicep and he managed to twist his right ankle on the sprint to Yubaba's floor. Haku suffered a long gash across his back and a few scratches on his face. Chihiro nearly had a heart attack when he took of his shirt, and immediately tried to heal it herself, but Haku wouldn't let her. She was about to drop dead from casting so many spells. He told her that he could just heal normally. Amaya was resting with Chihiro since she was about ready to faint herself.

Everyone was amazed by what Kentoku did, especially me. But, everyone knew that would greatly set back his recovery. And it did. He hasn't even moved since yesterday, and Yubaba has been watching over him herself. She came down and told us that he hasn't been doing well, and that he's slowly fading. I didn't want to believe it.

The guy can't know secrets of my life that I've never revealed, save my butt, and then die! That's wrong, that's not how it's supposed to be! When everyone was sitting there, completely helpless, I snuck upstairs into his sickroom.

Yubaba wasn't kidding, he really was leaving us. I could barely hear his breathing even when I knelt next to him and put my ear to his mouth. I sat back on my heels and looked hard at his face. It was peaceful, like he was ready to leave and be at rest with his wife.

I knew that he wanted to see her again, but I didn't really want him to leave. He was there when I saw Mitsuko for the last time, and he's been the person that I've talked to for the past few weeks. I knew that he was fading fast, and I hated that. I took his slightly warm hand in mine, held it tightly and just willed him to wake up.

* * *

**((Kentoku's POV))**

I knew that I was leaving, but there was nothing that I could do about it. If I left, everything would crumble, and not just our forces. Haku and Perun would be shaken, and I knew that even neither Chihiro nor Amaya could shake them out of it. I wanted to get up, see the sun and feel the wind. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't move. I was too weak.

Suddenly, I felt my strength return to me in a slow trickle. I slowly opened my eyes to discover that Rin was holding my hand tightly, a bright glow around them. As a matter of fact, her entire body was glowing. The brighter the glow became, the stronger I became. When I was fully awake, and most of the ache in my body vanished, I squeezed her hand.

The glow left, and Rin gasped. She let go of my hand and starred down at me in shock. "Oh my… gods what did I do?"

I frowned up at her, "You don't know?"

"No… that's never happened before."

I smiled and sat up. Her eyes widened when she saw me move. "My dear, I think you may be a healer."

"A… what?"

"A healer of spirits."

"You mean I can do that whenever I want?"

"Most likely. What is your name, your real name?"

"I… I don't know. I'm a worker, Yubaba took it."

I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck. "I'll talk to her about that."

"You'll what?" she asked me. Suddenly, she swayed and moaned. I caught her before she fell to the floor.

"Rin? Rin, are you all right?" I asked, shaking her slightly. When she didn't respond, I knew for sure that she must have worn herself out. I pulled her close to me, and made sure her head was resting on my shoulder. Some of my hair fell into hers, a sharp contrast from the dark brown. I smiled, and rubbed her back.

It was then that she decided to come around. She jerked slightly, and I let go of her quickly with a blush. She tried to sit up, but immediately feel back against me.

"Whoa…" she said, holding her head.

"Lie still for a while, you fainted." I told her, rubbing her back again. This was odd… I found this strangely familiar and comforting. She nodded and buried her head in my shoulder and didn't move a muscle. After a few minutes, she sat up completely and blushed.

"I'm sorry about that Kentoku…"

"It's quite all right." I told her, brushing some hair out of her face. "Rin… thank you."

She smiled, "Someone had to do it." She said, looking to the side.

I was at loss at what to do. I knew that saying thank you wasn't the best way to repay her, but I didn't know what was. I raised my hand to cup her cheek, and she met my gaze. I held her gray ones as I leaned in ever so slowly. Her eyes slowly shut with mine, and we were a breath apart…

When we heard the door open. I pulled back sharply and dropped my hand, looking in the doorway.

"Father!" Perun cried, seeing me up and alive. Haku was behind him, and he broke out into a smile.

"There you two are." I said, completely calm. I didn't even show that they almost kissing Rin.

Whoa. That was something I never thought I would even dream of doing. But, I found myself wishing that they had come in just a few minutes later… if not just a few seconds. But of course they interrupt now.

Rin stood up so they wouldn't start thinking anything, and I felt bad. That probably was horrible for her. I swung my legs out of bed and stood up. I noticed that I was in clean clothes, and I was grateful. "If you don't mind, Rin and I need to go see Yubaba."

She looked at me in surprise and Haku blinked a few times. "Now?"

"Yes, now. If you would please excuse us." And with that, I grabbed Rin's arm and the both of us made our way to Yubaba's office.

The woman who has saved my life twice is not going to work for that witch any longer.

* * *

"Ah, you're awake!" Yubaba cried, happily, coming to embrace me, but I held up a hand. She stopped and frowned. "Is something wrong Kentoku?"

"Yes, there is actually. Rin has now saved my life more than once, yet she is still under contract."

Yubaba's frown went away and was replaced by a look of utter confusion. "And why is this a problem?"

"I will not have the woman that saved my life working for you. I demand that she go free."

The old witch starred at me for a few seconds, almost contemplating if she had heard me right. "E… excuse me?"

"You heard be correctly Yubaba. I demand that Rin is set free."

"Kentoku… what makes you think I'm going to release my best worker?" she said, leaning back against her desk.

I looked at Rin out of the corner of my eye. I took a deep breath and looked at Yubaba dead in the eye. "Because you will hold no one close to me under contract."

Both women's eyes widened at my words. Rin looked at me in astonishment, but Yubaba had a grin on her face. She came to stand in front of me, and pointed a triumphant finger at me. "I knew that it would work! You've gotten over Lavanya and-"

In a flash, I grabbed Yubaba's wrist. "Do not think for a minute that someone can replace my wife. Now, release Rin, Yubaba, and give her back her real name."

She must have seen that I was being dead serious, and she nodded. I let go of her wrist, and she walked briskly over to one of her file cabinets and pulled out a very old looking contract. She unrolled it and held her hand over the name "Rin". Japanese characters floated down from her hand and joined the single character on the sheet, creating Rin's real name. Then, Yubaba ripped it.

"You are now free from my services. Get out of my sight."

And with that, Rin fled the room, me right behind her.

* * *

I caught up with her running form and grabbed her arm. "Rin, what's wrong?"

"Rin? That's not my name!" she said with a bright smile on her face.

I couldn't help but smile back, "My apologies my lady. What would your name be?"

"Rianna." She said, and looked around.

"Is something wrong?" I asked her.

"No, you just have bad timing. So, I was making sure the coast was clear."

"I have bad timing on wh-"

I didn't get to finish my sentence when she stepped closer to me and kissed me lightly. "Thank you Kentoku." She whispered, stepping back. But I didn't let her. My arm was around her waist in the blink of an eye, and I pulled her back to me.

She looked up with her gray eyes, and I couldn't help but smile. I leaned down and did what I tried to do before we were interrupted. She was slightly startled, but she didn't pull away either. Instead she rested her hands on my chest and enjoyed the kiss.

I pulled away and looked down at her smiling face. She kissed me quickly on the cheek, "I knew you weren't hopeless."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh dear, did I say that out loud?" she giggled.

"Rianna…"

She frowned when she heard her real name. "You know… I'm glad that I have my real name back, but I understand why Haku doesn't go by it. After being called one name for so long it's just… natural."

"So you wish to be called Rin anyway?"

She smiled up at me, "I guess I do."

I nodded and let her go, "So, do you wish to tell everyone that you're free?"

"Are you kidding? Now that Perun's moved in with Amaya, there's an extra room! I'm getting out of that old room… thank goodness!"

I laughed as we began to descend to the lobby to look for the company. This was a day to celebrate. Not only did Rin get her real name, but I finally moved on. I kissed another woman, and I was actually looking forward to the next time. I knew that this was going to be an interesting turn, explaining to my sons that things are about to change. I found myself wondering if I was looking before I leapt. Was this something I wanted? Was this a woman that could make me happy? Or should I leave this before I get in to deep.

I knew that women were confusing, but this just wasn't funny.

* * *

A/N: I'm hating what I've been writing lately. All of the chapters have been just... BLAH. Well, I hope that Fire Inside The Man turns out all right... Well, Rin got back her name, and Kentoku makes a move... life's just dandy. Don't worry, you'll see some HakuxChihiro and PerunxAmaya fluff in here at SOME point... maybe next chapter... lol

**StrugglingArtist  
XxLil-AngelxX  
mistress of mist  
Priestess Kohana  
Lillix Vail  
Princess of the Wind  
Yuki9283**

Thank you all for reviewing! Mwah! Luv ya lots:)

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_


	26. Bonding

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 26**

_Bonding In More Ways Than One

* * *

_

**((Rin's POV))**

I really wanted to get some staff practice in… but I just couldn't find out the best way to do it. So, one night, I grabbed it and snuck down to the practice rooms in the basement. I slipped into one, thinking no one was there, but Kentoku must have had the same idea.

He had a staff in his hands and was practicing some forms like he always did. But something was different about this occasion. His eyes were closed, and he wasn't practicing steps. He was dancing. His silver hair was flying out behind him, catching in the light of the lamps, making it glow.

I took my own hair out of its low ponytail and gripped my staff tighter. I walked up to him, and tired something. I was curious to see how in tune he was with his surroundings. Timing it right, I swung.

To my shock, he blocked it like he was waiting for it. He attacked me, and I barely blocked it. We danced across the floor until he knocked me on my feet. Point proven: he was good.

"If I knock you down, you tell me one thing about yourself that I don't know." He said softly, not even opening his eyes.

I stood up and nodded, "All right."

"Close your eyes… wait for it to begin."

"You know, I'm not as good as you."

"Nonsense. Of course you are. You just think that you cant'. Try it."

I sighed, knowing that nothing good was going to come out of this. But I closed my eyes anyway, and blocked his attack that he sent me. I was stunned. I actually did it! My confidence grew, and I soon found myself sitting on the ground again.

"You became to confident." He told me softly. "Now, one thing about you."

I stood up and thought for a few seconds. "I'm the oldest out of six children."

"Six? Are they all alive?"

"Knock me down again and I'll tell you." I said smugly, lashing out with my staff. After a few blows, I heard his body hit the ground. "And you thought that you would only be learning stuff about me tonight."

"I'll admit that's what I was thinking. Obviously not." He said with a chuckled, getting up. "Let's see… anything in particular you want to know about?"

"Lavanya?" I asked without thinking.

"I guess I can do that," he said, and my eyes flew open. He was kidding right. His were open too, and they were twinkling in the little light of the room. "Lavanya was actually five months pregnant with Haku and Perun before we married."

"No way!" I cried, not believing Kentoku would do something like that.

"I'm honest. Believe it or not, I was actually a lot more reckless before I was captured."

"You know, I have a hard time believing that." I said, leaning on my staff. "I think I'm going to have to see you do something reckless before I believe you."

"Is that so?" Kentoku smirked, lashing out with his staff. But this time his eyes were open. He could see what exactly was happening, which made him lightning fast. He knocked my feet out from under me, but caught me before I fell. He brought me close to him in about the space of two seconds, and I found myself leaning my head back to look at him. His blue and violet eyes were dancing with laughter as he leaned down, "Is this reckless?"

"No." I said, my heart racing.

"It's not?" He asked me, tilting his head to the side.

"No it's not. Reckless is something that you do before thinking about the consequences."

"Ah… I see." He said, winking at me before he leaned down and kissed me. I was so surprised I didn't try to fight back or pull away. He broke away and picked me up. I was still trying to recover from the kiss, I didn't even think about what I was doing. All I was concentrated on was not falling. So, I wrapped my legs around his waist.

He wasn't really expecting me to do that either. So, I found myself with my legs around his waist and him holding me up. Yeah… so not what I was thinking about doing tonight.

He smiled up at me, "Well, we're both a little reckless, don't you agree."

"I can go for that…" I said weakly, still trying to get my head back on my shoulders.

"Are you okay?" he asked me.

"To be honest, I'm not sure." I said with a giggle.

"Oh if you're giggling, you are far from okay." He said seriously.

I couldn't help it. Just the irony of the situation was _funny_! I began to laugh. He joined in, setting me down. I had to say that I was slightly sad; I liked being taller than him.

Kentoku spoke through his laughter, "I think we… -laugh- should get some… -laugh- some sleep, what about you?"

I couldn't speak at the moment, so I just nodded in agreement. He picked up both staffs, and handed me mine. I took it, but he yanked on it, drawing me to him again. He put his staff behind me, holing me there. He kissed me again while I was breathless, and I had to admit… he was getting more reckless by the minute.

He walked me back to my room, which was actually right across the hall from his, seeing as Perun had moved in with Amaya.

"Good night… Rianna." He said softly, giving my hand a kiss. Ever since we left the basement, he slowly transformed back into the Kentoku everyone saw. The cool, collected, and strict man that never laughed. I was beginning to sorely miss the man that laughed, teased, and kissed me. Where there two of them? The thought scared me.

Kentoku noticed a far off look in my eyes and held onto my hand. "Is something wrong?"

I shook my head and took my hand out of his. "Nothing's wrong. I'll see you tomorrow morning." I turned to enter my room, but he caught me by the arm.

"Look, I know you're confused-"

"How am I supposed to not be? You show me man that loved life downstairs, but then we get up here and it's like I don't know you!"

"I know…" he said softly, looking deep in my eyes. "I hate it just as much as you do. The thing is… I don't really remember that other man. I'm trying to find him. All I need is some help and patience."

I blinked a few times. Was the great Kentoku asking for help? Did I hear correctly?

"I just don't need any help. I need help from someone that can me laugh… someone I care about. Please Rin… just hang in there."

"Do you… do you want me to help you?"

A slow smile crossed his lips. "Will you?" he asked me in a barely audible whisper.

"Only if you want me to." I said, my heart beating fast.

He leaned down and kissed me softly on the lips. "Thank you Rianna."

I went into my room and shut the door. I leaned against it and smiled, putting a hand over my heart. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad…

* * *

**((Amaya's POV))** – _((A/N: She's been neglected… so has Perun. Oh dear…))_

I was leaning on the bridge railing, looking up at the stars. I breathed in deeply and sighed. Life was just going smoothly right now. Perun and I had escaped together, fought together, teased Haku and Chihiro, bonded together… and now we were getting married.

I hated to betray the people that had raised me even though I knew that what they were doing was wrong. I'm just not the betraying type. But if I hadn't… I probably would never be getting married to the man of my dreams.

"There you are…" someone whispered, coming up behind me and gave me a quick hug.

"Here I am." I replied, leaning back into Perun. We starred up at the stars for a while before he leaned down and kissed my nose.

"Have I ever told you how much I love it that you became shorter when Chihiro freed you?"

"You like that I'm shorter?" I cried, turning around to face him.

"I like that you fit into my arms…" he said, pulling me closer to him. "I like that I can rest my chin on top of your head…" he put his chin on top of my head, and I sighed. For some strange reason, I always felt so much more protected when he did that. I was fully in his arms, and he was making sure that nothing was going to take me away. It was kind of sweet really. "I like that I can pick you up now…" he said with a chuckled, picking me up and setting me on the rail. "I like that I can put you on a rail like this and you don't tower over me…"

I laughed, leaning my forehead against his. "Hmm… now that you mention it, I don't think I mind that much either…" I slipped off the rail and wrapped my arms around him. He held me tightly and I closed my eyes. I leaned my head against his chest and breathed in his scent… clean linen sheets. It may seem clichéd, but it's true. I never really realized how much I loved that smell until now. He chuckled when he heard me breathe in deeply and kissed my hair.

Many things are romantic. A man doesn't have to take you on a date and dance in rain for it to be romantic. Just being held is fine.

* * *

**((Chihiro's POV))**

"Haku, where are we going?" I asked for the eighth time that night.

"You'll see!" he replied happily, dragging me through the bathhouse. I rolled my eyes; I quickly found out that he wasn't going to tell me.

So, I followed him down to the lower floors and found myself in an open room with wood floors and a few couches along the walls. It was very cozy, and I noticed had a record player in the corner. "Haku… where are we?"

"In the earlier days of the bathhouse, Yubaba used to host concerts. Well… rather a talented lady musician would come and play her harp for the spirits. Everyone loved her, but after the war started, she went missing and was never found. Sometimes she would hold dance contests with the powerful spirits who held human forms like us. That's why you see a record player."

I nodded, "That's good to know, but that still doesn't explain why we're down here."

"Well, I did say that I would giving you dancing lessons." Haku said, grinning.

I laughed, pointing a finger at him, "Oh I should have known better than to think that you forgot about that!"

He chuckled and jogged over and turned on the record player, and the orchestra came through. He taught me a dance that I thought was a mix of the waltz, tango and quickstep… or something like that. But I knew for a fact that this was not something anyone's ever seen back in the human world. It was fun, and Haku and I danced through it once perfectly.

"Well done!" he said with a triumphant smile and walked over to the record player.

"Wait… are you teaching me another one?" I asked.

He shook his head as he put another record on. "No… I'm treating you to something…"

"Should I be afraid?" I asked as he came back over to me.

He looked at me sternly, "No! You should enjoy this."

He took my hand in his and twirled me. We began to dance the one he just taught me as the man's voice rang out through the empty room.

_Look into my eyes and you will see  
__What you mean to me  
__Search your heart, search your soul  
__And when you find me there you'll search no more  
__Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for  
__You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for  
__You know it's true  
__Everything I do…  
__I do it for you_

The music was slow and soothing, and the dance was much to fast for it. So, Haku stopped dancing. I was slightly confused, but ended up grinning when he pulled me in close and we slow danced there on in.

I had to admit that the man's voice wasn't perfect, but you could hear the emotion in his voice. He meant it what he was singing.

_Look into your heart you will find  
__There's nothin' there to hide  
__Take me as I am, take my life  
__I would give it all, I would sacrifice  
__Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for  
__I can't help it, there's nothin' I want more  
__You know it's true  
__Everything I do…  
__I do it for you_

_There's no love like your love  
__And no other could give more love  
__There's nowhere unless you're there  
__All the time, all the way_

I leaned my head against his shoulder, and let him guide me. I was completely content with closing my eyes, swaying to the beat, and feeling Haku's arm around me. Just then, he let go of my hand and wrapped it around my waist, which made me smile. I put my free hand over his heart and let his heartbeat become mine.

_Oh you can't tell me it's not worth tryin' for  
__I can't help it, there's nothin' I want more  
__I would fight for you  
__I'd lie for you  
__Walk the wire for you  
__Yeah I'd die for you  
__You know it's true  
__Everything I do…  
__I do it for you_

I lifted my head up and kissed Haku lightly on the cheek. "Thank you. I needed something like this."

He kissed me gently. "Don't worry, I did to. I think all of us really need a break. Thank the gods we have it now." He leaned down to whisper something gently in my ear:

"I mean it… the song."

I smiled, "I know." I whispered back.

**((End POV))**

* * *

The Next Day 

Kentoku was practicing the next morning down in the basement, remembering when Rin stumbled upon him. He'd been really reckless that night, seeing as she could have rejected him… but she didn't. And that made him secretly delighted and more open to the idea of moving on. He heard the door open, turning around to see whom it was, and a smile crept over his face.

Rin jogged over with a staff in hand; tapping his lightly, "Ready to be knocked down?"

Kentoku winked, "Only if you want to be knocked down first." He replied.

But before either of them could land a blow, the door opened again and Haku, Chihiro, Perun and Amaya filtered in. Haku jogged over to his father, the other three close on his heels.

"We know how to do it."

"Do what?" Kentoku asked.

"Bond together. We just figured it out." Perun answered, grinning.

Their father nodded, a triumphant look in his eyes, and told Rin to back away to the wall. The two older spirits watched the four younger ones in the center of the room.

They stood about a few inches apart in a circle, facing the inside. Perun was the first to move. He held his hands out in front of him and a small ball of blue appeared in the middle of the circle. He thrust his power behind his voice so it was heard throughout the entire room.

**"Holy ocean, gentle water, lend me thy power!"** he cried, and the crashing waves of an ocean were heard. The glowing blue ball grew larger.

Amaya went next. She held her hands out before her and spoke in a clear voice,** "Mighty trees, trembling earth, lend me thy power!"** The sound of an earthquake rumbled following her words, but the room did not shake. A mass of green energy joined the blue ball, the two colors swirling around one another.

Next came Haku. **"Summer breezes, powerful storm, lend me thy power!"** His voice boomed out over the clap of thunder and rain. A mass of silver joined the green and blue ball at the center.

Last was Chihiro. She held her hands out just like the three before her, and spoke her words of power. "**Burning embers, raging fire, lend me thy power!"**

Rin winced as she heard the cackling of a powerful fire. Kentoku discreetly put an arm around her shoulders as a mass of burning red joined the ball in the center. When the fire element reached it, the ball began to shine. The four dropped their arms and the ball grew in size.

At once, they all spoke. **"Bind us together!" **Their words were followed by a loud crack. The four all turned to their right at the same time, and stepped in, merging with the growing ball. With an almost blinding flash, the four became one.

The glowing faded, and they were gone. And in their place was a lone woman with long brown and red hair. Her eyes were shining emeralds with bright silver flecks. On her right arm was a bright blue tattoo of water, her clothes earthy tones.

She turned her insightful eyes to Kentoku and Rin. "My name... is Ariadne."

* * *

A/N: ((giggles madly)) Oh just love this. Never fear, I was going to get a song in here. :) Ahaha! Who is Ariadne? Well... you may know, but it's still fun to ask...

**Ariadne** means _most holy_ in Greek Mythology... it's fun to find cool names, trust me.

**ScarletFlameHiem  
XxLil-AngelxX  
StrugglingArtist  
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Priestess Kohana  
xX44th DreamMasterXx  
White Dragon 69  
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Lillix Vail  
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mistress of mist**

Thank you all for reviewing! And no one knew what the song was... ((sniff)) Well, it was _"Come Rain Or Come Shine_" by **Frank Sinatra**. Yes, I'm serious, **Frank Sinatra**. ((lol))

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_

Disclaimer: Song is (Everything I Do) I Do It For You by Bryan Adams. Oh joy.


	27. Kentoku's Sister

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 27**

_Kentoku's Sister

* * *

_

**((Kentoku's POV))**

I smiled. Here she was in all of her glory… Ariadne. I let go of Rin and bowed. "So we finally see you."

"Indeed… but let's make this quick. I've got four voices in my head trying to figure out what happened."

"Huh?" Rin asked, looking at the woman hard. "What do you mean four voices?"

"Perun, Amaya, Haku and Chihiro. When they bind together they create me."

"No way…" she breathed, "I've seen you before…"

Now it was my turn to be confused, "You have?"

"Ah, it is Rianna is it not?" Ariadne asked.

"Yes." She said, and the powerful woman nodded.

"Well, I hope that you will aid me as best as you can."

"Of course." Rin answered, and Ariadne backed up to the center of the room once again. She raised her hands, and her entire body began to shine. I heard the waves of an ocean, the rumble of an earthquake, the howling wing finished off the cackling of a burning fire. With something that sounded like a thunderclap, Ariadne was gone.

And in her place stood four grinning spirits.

"We did it!" Chihiro cried.

Perun was grinning, an arm around Amaya's shoulders. "That was awesome! I can't wait to see Kallisto now!"

Haku glared at him, "We just figured out how to do it. We don't know how to bind her at all, let alone how to use the power we have."

"Spoil it why don't you?" Amaya asked, giving her soon to be brother-in-law a wink.

Chihiro sighed, "He's got a point though. We can do it, but that's it. We're just going to have to practice now."

I approached the group with a small smile on my face, "Well done."

Rin looked at the four of them in confusion. "That's the woman that can kill Kallisto?"

They looked at each other and Haku finally nodded. "Pretty much." He told her, "Why, have you seen her before?"

"I did! I dreamed about her last night and she asked me to help her… what ever that means."

Chihiro smiled, "I think we just found our third being. Ariadne, Kentoku, and Rin. It's perfect!"

I nodded, "I think we do. Now it's just a matter of the four of you practicing safely…"

They all laughed, "Well, I guess we would blow up the bathhouse wouldn't we?" Perun asked, holding his side.

"So we're just going to have to wing it in battle?" Amaya asked, looking at Chihiro.

She stopped laughing long enough to answer her. "I assume so. But, I think that we can get by. We're not exactly a force that you should ignore."

I nodded in agreement. "This would be true. Now, I haven't eaten, and I would really like something-"

"Last one there cleans the dishes!" Perun cried, grabbing Amaya by the hand and dashing out of the room. Haku and Chihiro followed him, and I sighed and rolled my head back.

"I don't think he's ever going to grow up…"

"Hey, do you want to wash the dishes?" Rin called from the doorway, "You better hurry up!"

I smiled and focused my energy. Her eyes went wide as she saw me lift off of the ground. I almost laughed; all wind spirits could fly, it was just common sense! I flew toward her and scooped her up and flew up the hall towards the running figures. I flew above their heads, and Haku smiled wickedly. He transformed into a dragon and Chihiro hopped on without a question.

"Hey! That's cheating!" Perun cried.

"Guess that leaves us!" Amaya laughed, dashing down the hall toward the kitchen.

"You are SO not beating me!" he retorted, sprinting after her.

Funny thing was… he ended up cleaning the dishes.

* * *

**((Kallisto's POV))**

I was freaking out. I'll admit it. My latest letter from Kasumi had been a week ago, and that said that the four knew how to bond together. That was just GREAT. I was waiting eagerly for her next letter, and it came. Maeve brought it in and I tore it open and read it quickly.

I laughed, "Yes! They still have no idea how to use their powers! I'm safe!"

"For how long?" Maeve asked, looking at me seriously. "Now going into battle will be much riskier because they know how to do it, and they know what will shake our forces. We've taught the humans to fear Ariadne."

"And for a good reason!" I said, putting the letter on my desk, "She's the most powerful spirit next to the gods! Don't worry, I'll plan carefully." I told my second, and left my office.

* * *

**((Maeve's POV))**

She's nuts. It's official. If I were her, I'd just kill myself right now than face Ariadne. But I was safe from her because I was on her side. I know, I've been spying all this time, and I must admit that I think I have enough information. I grabbed Kasumi's latest letter off of Kallisto's desk and grabbed a few more that I saw her put away in a drawer. I put them in my cloak pocket, and vanished. Now was the time to play my cards.

* * *

I arrived at the bathhouse, realizing how stupid I was being. Heck, I was the enemy; Kentoku would probably kill me! I could always threaten him or something… yeah, like that would work. But, I was here and I knew that I couldn't go back. It was now or never.

I walked right inside through the rain and the company was sitting in the lobby, relaxing. As I suspected, Kentoku was the first to spot me.

"Maeve." He said, his tone icy.

"Kentoku." I said, giving him a nod of my head. "May I inquire as to where Mistress Chihiro is?"

Haku stood up, "What do you want with her?"

"More importantly, why are you here?" Perun asked from his position on the couch.

I lowered my hood, and brushed my silver hair out of my eyes. "I'm betraying someone." I said flatly.

That got a surprise out of everyone. "Who?" A young woman asked, and I assumed that it was Chihiro.

"The Druids?" Another young woman with blonde hair asked.

I couldn't help it, I gave a start. "Amaya?" I asked in confusion.

She eyed me coolly, "Yes?"

"N-nothing! Just… whoa." I said, taking in her new appearance.

Amaya smiled faintly. "I know. I prefer being unbound."

"I think everyone is with you there little one. You do realize that all most, no, ALL of Kallisto's officials are bound or blackmailed into working for her… or even both?"

"No." she said honestly. "Were you?"

I snorted, "You would have to be more deranged than Kallisto herself to willingly work for her." Turning to Chihiro. "I would very much like to see my normal self after so many years. Can you please free me?" I asked softly.

She looked at me in surprise. I know that soft tones weren't normal coming from a Druid, and I'm sure that she slightly startled that I was asking. "Um… sure…" she said, coming toward me.

But to my surprise, Kentoku stopped her. "Who were you before this?" he asked me.

"Someone you miss. Someone you think is dead. Someone you've almost forgotten." I said harshly, starring into his blue and violet eyes.

He let Chihiro go, and allowed her to walk up to me and touch my black collar. She burned it away, and took a few steps back as I began to shine. I had absolutely no idea what was going on. Why was I shinning? But before I could properly freak out, I was back to normal. I looked down and realized that I was back to my original height. I saw red hair hanging in my face and I laughed. I knew what color my eyes were. Green… emerald green.

I laughed and looked up at Kentoku. He was starring at me in shock. To my surprise, I saw a lone tear fall down his pale cheek. "It's not possible."

I smiled sadly at him. "You know that's not true. You label things impossible because you do not wish to believe that they can happen."

"Oh but I wanted this to happen…" he whispered, taking a step towards me.

I smiled, "Well then you BETTER get over here and give me a hug!"

His eyes brightened and I soon found myself being twirled and grasped tightly. I hugged him back, laughing with him. I soon slapped him on the shoulder, "Okay, can't breathe!" I cried, and he set me back down.

"There is just no way! You're supposed to be dead!" He cried, grasping me by the shoulders.

"I think that it's very clear that Kallisto binds, not kills." I said, giving him a wink.

He laughed, "You haven't changed a bit!"

I snorted, "Did you expect me to?"

Everyone watched this exchange in confusion. Haku finally spoke up. "Father… you know her?"

He looked back at his oldest son in shock. "Of course I know her! She's my sister!"

* * *

A/N: I know that this was a ridicously short chapter, but I wrote the last line and I couldn't help it. PERFECT CLIFFY:) Gotta luv the author... ((dodges flying fruit))

Anyway! Thank you to all that reviewed!

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Thanks for reviewing! It makes me happy that guys do so fast... :)

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_

Arriving Next Chapter:  
The answer to the question... Who IS Kentoku's sister? And since when did he have one?


	28. Unexpected News

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 28**

_Unexpected News

* * *

_

**((Chihiro's POV))**

The whole bathhouse is in celebration. Amaya and Perun decided to have their wedding soon while the peace was here. I was extremely happy for them, but I'll admit that I did feel kind of sad and envious. I wanted to marry Haku so badly… start a family…

Little did I know that I skipped the get marry part and went straight to being a mother.

Wait, I should start from the beginning.

It started when I wouldn't get a full night's sleep. I just assumed it was stress, and so did Haku. Eventually we got used to the fact that I got up earlier than usual. But of course it would make me more tired. We were at loss then, so I started taking a sleeping draught to get some sleep, and that helped only a little bit. I got a full night's sleep, but I was still tired when I woke up.

Then a few days ago, I started to not be able to keep any food down, even soup. I knew something was wrong with me, and I just didn't know what. I didn't feel sick, I felt completely fine! So, in desperation, I knew I had to go see someone. I didn't want to go to a doctor; they never helped seeing as spirits were rarely sick. I felt weird talking to Amaya about it, even though she was going to be my sister-in-law when Haku finally married me. I knew Rin would tell me what was wrong, but I was almost afraid to ask her. That left me one option.

Eve.

She'd been here for a week, and she'd found a way into all of our hearts instantly. I trusted her, but I was unsure if she would be of help. I soon threw that thought out of the window when I told myself she was Kentoku's sister, and probably the oldest female spirit besides Yubaba at the bathhouse. So, I reluctantly went to her room that she shared with Rin. I knocked, and she answered the door.

She smiled and leaned against the doorframe. "Chihiro! What a surprise! Is there something that you need?"

"I was actually wondering if I could ask you something."

"Oh, of course! Please, come in!" she said, ushering me in. "What do you need?"

"I've been… well, not sick, but not myself."

"Uh huh." She said, looking at me, her attention all on me. "What's wrong exactly?"

"I've been tired even though I've been getting a full night's sleep, and for the past few days, I can't even keep soup down very long."

"Huh. Well… have you made mad dashes to the bathroom in the morning?"

"No…"

"Oh you'll be making those soon." Eve said with a smile.

I furrowed my brow. "What are you talking about?"

"My dear…" she said, coming to stand in front of me. I felt her focus her energy, and place her hand on my stomach. A quiet but steady beat of a heart sounded out through the entire room. "You better tell Haku soon. He'll be thrilled, I'll tell you that much."

"What? I… I'm pregnant?"

Eve nodded, smiling. "Congratulations. I'd say about two months at the most."

I knew that Haku and I were in a squeeze with this new issue. This wouldn't be good for my honor, or his for that matter, but I found myself not caring. I was going to be a mother! "But… how do I tell him?"

"It doesn't matter. He's about to get the most unexpected news of his life. There isn't a way you can put it nicely or easily for him. You're just going to have to say or do something so he'll content the dots. But I would rather you tell him instead of having him guess."

"I'd rather tell him too." I said, looking down at the floor.

"Then you do that." Eve said with a smile.

"Do… do you think that I could talk to you for a while? You know, just know who you are?"

She nodded, "I don't see why not. Here, sit down. What do you want to know?"

"When did you become a spy?"

Eve smiled. "I've always been a spy. I was a spy for the League during the first war and I was caught eavesdropping on a conversation that I was told to listen into. Kallisto found me, and instead of killing me, she bound me. I think her philosophy is if they're of good use, use them. It's going to be her downfall."

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

She smirked, "Because I'm free thanks to you. I have all of my memory from being Kallisto's second in command. I know what she's doing, and she knows that. Now she's probably panicking back at her pathetic little hideout."

"You seemed really surprised when you saw Haku… haven't you seen him before?"

"I haven't. The night you freed me was the second time I've seen him. I saw him when the Druids first appeared again, but that was it. I was caught and "killed" before Lavanya had Haku and Perun. I never saw them. When Odin ravaged their home, he said that he killed one and brought back the other. I watched Perun grow up, knowing he was my nephew. But I couldn't say anything because he had no idea who Kentoku was."

"He didn't? But Kentoku was Phobos-"

"There are different levels of collars. A simple black one means that Kallisto controls you. A black collar with a silver ring around the middle means that you are bound to her, and you are not as you appear. A black collar with intricate designs means she controls you, changed your appearance, and wiped your memory. You haven't lost them, you just can't remember them while you wear her collar."

"That's why Kentoku remembered Haku and Perun!" I exclaimed, everything making perfect sense.

"Exactly. And Kentoku's collar worked the same way. His collar prevents him from remembering anything he did as a Druid."

"But he doesn't wear it, I burned it off."

Eve shook her head, "It doesn't matter. He still won't ever remember, even if someone tells him exactly what he did. You can tell him that he captured you and brought you back, but he won't remember a single detail."

"That's… almost sad." I whispered.

"I know. But I think that he doesn't mind much. He knows that they're dark memories anyway. Anything else?"

"You're weapons?" I asked, not once seeing her touch a blade or staff.

"I can use the staff, but I prefer not to attack with weapons." She said with a wink, and wouldn't answer a single thing about her attack style or weapons after that. We sat and I told her what had happened to me, and I managed to surprise her a few times. After a few hours of exchanging stories, Eve ushered me out of the room. "You have to tell Haku, remember?"

"But when should I do it?" I asked, my forgotten anxiety about the subject returning.

She smiled sadly at me. "You'll do just fine Chihiro. You'll tell him in the best possible way. And you'll do just fine as a mother. You have the perfect nature for it. Now, get out of here and tell him all ready!"

I nodded, and disappeared down the hall. I was about to go down to the practice rooms where I knew he was, but I didn't want to tell him in front of people. I detoured to our room and sat down on the bed, what was I going to do?

It was then that I heard the shower running. I smiled; Haku must have come back up for a shower before coming to find me. Well… he would find me sitting on the bed. I wasn't going to move, let alone leave, and neither was he.

Not until he knew.

* * *

**((Haku's POV))**

I dried off, put on my pants and noticed I forgot to grab a clean shirt. I rolled my eyes and dried my hair as I slowly left the bathroom. I hung the towel on my shoulder, opening the door to the bathroom and turning into our bedroom, my mission to find a shirt and then find Chihiro.

Except I skipped getting a shirt and found Chihiro first.

She was sitting on the edge of our bed, her hands folded in her lap. She had a look of utter seriousness on her face, and I instantly became alert. I had half a mind to about face and dash out the door, but I knew that it wouldn't help the situation… what ever it was.

Suddenly, Chihiro stood up and walked over to stand in front of me. "Focus," she ordered me softly, and I nodded. She grabbed my hand and placed it on her stomach. I was a little confused about what was going on, but I focused my energy like she asked. I waited for a moment, and a steady heartbeat filled the room. It wasn't mine, and it wasn't Chihiro's…

I knew that I wouldn't be seeing the owner of that heartbeat for another few months. I looked up at her with a hopeful look in my eyes. "How long…?" I asked her in a barely audible whisper.

"Eve said two months at the most." She responded just as softly, a lone tear slid down her cheek. My heart fell and I raised my hand to brush it away.

"Chi…" I whispered, using everyone's nickname for her. My hand on her stomach moved to her waist and then let it settle on her lower back. I pulled her closer to me and enveloped her in my arms. She flung her arms around my neck and buried her head in my shoulder, her long brown hair tickling my bare chest. I held her tightly and stroked her hair, thinking and looking at what my life had come to.

Ten years ago I though I would never see her again; but now I wake up next to her every morning. Ten years ago I never thought I would taste her lips; but now I get to every day whenever I want. Ten years ago I never thought I would hold her close to me; but now I do it at every possible moment.

So much had changed since I returned to the bathhouse, but she never did. I loved her for it, but now both of our lives were going to change forever.

When the Druids returned, I hid and cursed Fate for bringing this down upon us. Now I stood in the middle of the road, shouting for Fate to throw fatherhood at me.

I was ready.

* * *

**((Eve's POV))**

I had gone downstairs for lunch shortly after Chihiro left. I knew Haku would be thrilled no matter what was going on in the world.

And my assumption was one hundred percent correct.

He came charging down the stairs, his shirt half open with an idiotic grin on his face. Perun groaned and smirked at his older brother. "Oh no, he's grinning like a maniac… everybody run!"

Haku was too happy to shoot something back at his little brother. "Hey Dad, how old do you feel?"

Kentoku gave a slight start when he heard Haku call him 'Dad' instead of 'Father' like he usually did. Everyone in the room knew then that what ever was making Haku grin and call his father 'Dad' was VERY important. He looked at his son and shook his head. "I feel old enough." He replied.

Nice one.

Haku grinned even wider, "Do you feel enough to be a grandfather?"

Kentoku looked scandalized. "No I do not thank you!"

"Oh well that's to bad… because you are one."

Poor guy. He had been taking a sip of his water and when he heard Haku's reply it went all over the table. "What?" he choked out, coughing slightly. Guess he sprayed half it out and inhaled the rest. Today isn't his day.

"You. Are. A. Grandfather." Haku said clearly, grinning like a madman. Chihiro was standing in the doorway with a brilliant smile on her face, watching the father of her unborn child have fun tormenting his father. Heck, I'd enjoy torturing Kentoku just because I'm his sister. It's what siblings DO.

"I'm a… what?" He gasped, staring hard at Haku. "Oh no… Chihiro's-?"

"Pregnant." She said from the doorway with a hesitant smile on her face.

What Kentoku did stunned everyone in the room, including me. He jumped up from his chair, ran over to her and picked her up in a crushing hug, laughing all the while. She hugged him back, somewhat surprised, and we all laughed. He set her back down, and encouraged the soon to be parents to eat some lunch.

Once he sat back down in between me and Rin, I shook my head in dismay. "You know for a second there, I couldn't tell who was more nutty: You or Haku."

Everyone laughed and my older brother glared at me, "I'm not allowed to be happy?"

"You were l-a-u-g-h-I-n-g. _Laughing_! That's not **normal**!" I told him.

He just shook his head, "Don't make me hurt you."

"You hurt me? Isn't it the other way around?"

Kentoku chuckled nervously, "Ah, good point."

Perun held up a hand, "Wait a minute, did you just back down from your sister?"

"You face her with a weapon in your hands and lets see how you fair. Oh, and pray to anyone that'll listen that she doesn't leave you a melted puddle on the floor."

"She… melts people?" Amaya asked with her eyebrow raised.

I smiled, "It's an analogy. What he's trying to say is I'm not your average fighter. I don't use a weapon often."

"Then you can you fight?" Haku asked, puzzled.

"You can fight without weapons, contrary to what you believe." I told him, going back to my lunch. After a while, Kentoku had to bring up the war.

"So… what do you remember of Kallisto's plans?"

I rolled my eyes. "Can your male brain quit thinking about fighting and war and let me eat my lunch?"

"I was just asking-"

"Lemme eat dang it!" I cried; picking up an olive threw it at him without even looking. Everyone laughed when it bounced off of his forehead and he just put it back on his plate.

Perun laughed, "Aw, throw it back!"

He glanced up at his son, "Do you want to see me covered in some substance?"

"Yeah, frankly I do." He said with a big grin.

"Really?" I asked brightly, "OKAY!" And with that, I picked up a bowl of peaches and flung them at my brother, only he made a current of strong air whip them back at me. The crashed down all over my side and front and his eyes widened to an indescribable degree. I slowly tilted my head to glare at him out of the corner of my eye.

"Eheheh… how long do I have to run?" he asked nervously, getting up.

"Not long enough!" I cried, chasing him out of the room.

* * *

**((Rin's POV))**

I don't think I've ever laughed so hard in my life. When Eve chased Kentoku out of the room, screaming revenge, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that they weren't related. When he came bursting back into the room a few minutes later, he slammed the door shut and leaned against it, completely breathless.

"She runs… very… very fast." He panted. I laughed right along with everyone else. He glared at us, sliding down the door to sit on the floor. "It's… not funny…"

"Yes it is!" Haku gasped out, holding his side.

Kentoku was about to retort when the door opened, and he fell back. He was greeted by Eve… and a bowl of unidentifiable substance. She tipped it over and he was covered in something that did NOT look appealing. He sat up with a disgusted look on his face, covered in sticky stuff.

"What was that?" he asked, trying to wipe it off of his face.

"You don't want to know!" she said with a smile, setting the bowl on the table. He slowly got up and walked out of the room.

"I'm going to go take a bath… oh this is disgusting…" he muttered to himself, heading up to his room.

Eve smiled apologetically. "Well, I think I'm going to follow his example. I'm going to change, and get something for all of you to see. We have to get serious sometime."

About ten minutes later Kentoku and Eve came back into the room, clean from all of the food. His hair was still wet, and dripping slightly. He had a towel in his hand, squeezing the lower half of his hair to get it to quit dripping. "You do realize that it took me forever to get that gunk out of my hair." He told his younger sister.

She just smiled, "Yup!" she said brightly, sitting down.

I grinned, "Well we all know where Perun got his happy personality."

He laughed, "And I must say she uses it much better!"

"Aw, you think that because I can dump guts on your father and get away with it."

"GUTS! YOU DUMPED GUTS ON ME?" Kentoku roared in disbelief. When she just giggled, and shook his head with a sigh and continued to wring out his hair. "You're unbelievable."

"You know you love me!" she said with a small smile, pulling something out of her pocket. "But now I'm getting serious. This is something very important, and something you may not be ready to believe."

Haku frowned, "What is it?"

"Someone in your midst is betraying you." Eve said seriously.

My eyes went wide. "Are they in this room?"

"No." Eve replied, looking at me. "But _she_ is someone very close to you."

"So it's a woman." Amaya said, putting her elbow on the table and placing her chin in her hand. "A bathhouse worker?"

"I assume so," Eve said, "I do not know her status, only her name."

"And what would that be?" Kentoku asked.

"Kasumi." She said, looking at all of us. "Do you know who she is."

Chihiro starred at me like I had slapped her. "Kasumi has been my maid for the past five years. She is not Kallisto's spy, I refuse to believe it."

"Will you refuse to believe it even after I show you evidence?" Eve asked sharply, tossing her the bundle of letters. Chihiro picked them up with shaking hands and opened the first one. She scanned over it, and her face paled. Haku took it from her as she opened another, reading its contents quickly. His eyes flashed in anger when he spoke.

"Go get her Rin."

* * *

**((Kentoku's POV))**

Rin left the room quickly, and I looked over at my sister. She knew that this was hard for everyone to accept, and I could tell that she hated the fact that she had to be the one to tell them. When Rin came back with her, I took the liberty of speaking.

"Kasumi… have you seen these letters?" I asked, picking up a fairly large bundle.

"No." she replied calmly, "What do they say?"

"Why don't you tell us?" Haku said calmly… almost too calmly. "We know that these letters are from you to Kallisto." Kasumi knew that she had been caught. She didn't say anything because she knew nothing she said now would save her. Smart girl. "What on earth would posses you to betray the people that you've grown up with for all of your life? You do realize that this is treason?"

"I do."

"So you have nothing to say for yourself?" Haku cried, standing up. "You have no reason as to why you did this?"

"Haku… calm down." I said, sensing his anger rolling off of him in waves. This was going to get nasty very soon… and the mess wouldn't be food.

"Calm down? How do you expect me to take the fact that Kasumi has been betraying us from the beginning? She could have killed us all! I wouldn't put it past her that she led the motive to poison the water, and make sure that you got the strongest dose! She could have killed all of us! How can you just ignore that?" He roared.

"We're not ignoring that Haku." Chihiro said gently, standing up and putting a hand on his shoulder. Perun got up and moved to stand behind Haku to make sure he didn't do anything stupid. I moved to guard the door while Rin stood behind Kasumi.

"She's a traitor!" He yelled, starting forward. Perun grabbed his arms and pinned them together, forcing Haku to stop. "Get off of me!" he growled, trying to worm his way out of his brother's hold.

Chihiro looked disapprovingly at him, "Haku! Get a hold of yourself!"

"He's too mad." I said, looking at my enraged son. "You're going to have to sort him out yourself Chihiro."

"How?" she asked desperately, becoming somewhat frightened of her husband's rage. I didn't blame her for a second. He was starting unnerve me even.

"I don't know…" Perun grunted, "but think of something fast! It's getting hard to restrain him!"

I saw her concentrate, and her face fall. I wondered what she had thought of, but I found out soon enough. A resounding slap was heard all throughout the room, and everyone fell into a dead silence.

She had slapped him, and pretty hard too for it to make such a noise.

I don't think I've ever seen someone so stunned. Haku slowly turned his head back to look at her, hurt and shock written all over his face. "Chi-" he began, but she didn't let him finish.

"Get a hold of yourself Haku." She said harshly, and turned around to face Kasumi, no longer acknowledging his presence.

I never want to see a man that hurt again. Haku slumped against Perun, completely beat and hurt. He helped him sit back down, where Haku proceeded to put his elbows on his knees and bury his head from view. I knew that this was something huge. Haku's never lost his temper like that, and to have to resort to Chihiro slapping him may have been much too harsh. But what was has been done is done.

Chihiro looked at her maid… or should I say former maid. "Do you deny that you have betrayed us?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because nothing I say could fix what I have done, or caused you to do." Kasumi replied, gesturing to a stunned Haku.

Chihiro nodded stiffly and looked at me. "What does her crime rank as?"

"Treason." I said.

"And the punishment?"

Eve answered that one, "Death." She said quietly, looking at Kasumi with an almost pitying gaze.

Chihiro closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath. "Then… let it be carried out."

Kasumi wasn't expecting this. "Chi!" she cried in desperation, "You don't mind that! Bind me, anything!"

Chihiro didn't open her eyes to respond. Instead, she turned away from her former maid and spoke. "I do not know you… for you are a traitor. Do not try to run, for nowhere you can hide can forget what you have done against me. I release you from my service so that the League may deal with you." I saw a tear roll down her face, and I knew that took every once of willpower she had to tell that to her best friend.

I walked over to her as Rin had two guards escort Kasumi out of the room. I put a hand on her shoulder and she spun around and clutched to my slightly damp shirt and cried. These just weren't tears; these were the heart wrenching sobs that men hate to hear. I hugged her close, hushing her in attempts to get her to stop. I knew that if Haku was paying attention, he would rather rip out his heart then to have her cry like this.

And I was right.

When he heard her he snapped to attention, and stood up. He didn't look at anyone else except her crying form and slowly reached a hand out to touch her shoulder lightly. She stopped crying long enough to look at him.

"Chi…" he whispered, his voice barely audible even to me.

She sniffed and left my embrace slowly, and stepped up to Haku. She gently laid a hand on the cheek that she had slapped and sniffed again. She stood on tiptoe to kiss it lightly. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

He shook his head, "Don't worry about it right now. Are you going to be okay?" he asked, hesitantly pulling her close to him.

Her sobs had died when she spoke, but they started up again when she buried her forehead in the crook of his neck. I motioned everyone to get out, and Amaya and Perun were the first to move. Eve went next, and Rin followed her out. I closed the door behind me, and I reached for Rin's hand. She let me take it as we both walked back down the hall in a somber silence.

* * *

A/N: Eep. Kasumi is sentenced to death... ouch. I know that I could have developed her more as a character before I killed her off, but oh well. A little late now... I also could have had Haku loose his temper a LOT more, but it just... didn't... ACK.

Well... lots of info in this chapter. Hope you got it all!

**Kataan  
StrugglingArtist  
XxLil-AngelxX  
Irken Illiterate  
mistress of mist  
Priestess Kohana  
Mushrambolover  
Princess of the Wind  
annoying-little-girl  
Lillix Vail  
Yuki9283  
iwantmycoffeenow  
Blissdreamer  
MystiStar1**

Thank you all SOOOOO much for reviewing!

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_


	29. Happenings Of Love

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 29**

_Happenings Of Love

* * *

_

**((Haku's POV))**

I was thrilled… beyond thrilled… but we had a problem. Chihiro and I weren't married, and she's pregnant. Bad. **Really** bad. This would dishonor us both unless I did something, and I didn't want to get married just yet. I wanted that day to be a happy one, not rushed. But I knew that if I didn't formally claim her, she would be shunned.

So, proposing sounded like my only option.

But a proposal was supposed to be romantic, and it was driving me insane. I liked to do things right, and rushing things wasn't right. There were tough decisions in life and this was just one of them. I yelled at Fate to send fatherhood at me, and everything that comes with it. So, in a way, I brought this upon myself.

I bought a ring through Yubaba, and she was thrilled about it. I was almost afraid that she would tell the entire bathhouse before I even said a word to Chihiro.

But it was now or never.

She was sitting on the couch, reading a book. I came in silently and wrapped my arms around her shoulders from behind, causing her to laugh. "Oh no, what do you want from me this time Haku?" she asked, leaning back into me.

"I'm hurt!" I cried in mock pain, "Is it illegal to just hug you once in a while?"

"It is when you have an aim besides enjoying my company. What is it?"

I sighed, "You know me too well."

She smiled at me. "Haku… I live with you. I'm the mother of your unborn child. Don't you think I would know how you act?"

I chuckled, "I guess you would know then. Actually… I was thinking about our situation."

"When you say situation do you mean the fact that I'm pregnant before we're married?" Chihiro said darkly.

I rubbed her arms, "I'm not mad Chihiro, it's just got us in a squeeze. The only way I can think of to fix it completely is to get married before you start to show. I don't want to do that though… our wedding day is going to be happy."

"So then what do you propose?" she said sadly, eyes closed.

I drew the simple ring out of my pocket, and picked up her left hand. I slid the ring onto her fourth finger and she gasped. Her chocolate eyes flew open and looked at the ring that I had placed there. She looked up at me and I smiled sadly.

"There wasn't a way to propose romantically when it's a rushed proposal and-"

"It's fine… I love it." Chihiro murmured, looking fondly at the ring. I smiled and came to sit next to her on the couch. She leaned on my chest and I automatically wrapped my arms around her.

It wasn't bad, but it could have been better. At least the problem was halfway cleared up. We would be frowned upon, but the fact that she was now my fiancé, neither of our names would be disgraced.

She leaned up and kissed me on my cheek and stood up. I frowned, "Where are you going?"

"Bed." She said simply, walking to our room slowly, "I'm not exactly tired… and I would very much like you to join me…" she said, looking at me over her shoulder.

I grinned and jumped off of the couch. I dashed over and grabbed her, which made her laugh. I kissed her while she was breathless and opened the door to our room with one hand. She pushed me through, and the door shut behind us with a snap.

* * *

A Month Later  
_Chihiro's Pregnancy – 3 Months_

**((Kentoku's POV))**

"Do you ever sleep?" A woman asked, coming into the room with a staff in hand.

I smiled, "I sleep Rin."

"WHEN?" she asked with a laugh, coming to stand in front of me, "I always find you down here!"

"I don't come down here every night. You just manage to find me most of the time. I was down here last night."

"I was about to come down last night!" she exclaimed.

I smirked, and tapped her staff, "Are you here to talk or are you here to spar." Her response was to give me a few good whacks, but I managed to block them. After a few blows, I managed to knock her down.

She jumped right back up and racked her brain for something to tell me. "Oh… I remember that! Once I set Yubaba's papers in her office on fire because she told me I had to clean the big tub when Chihiro was first hired."

I couldn't help but laugh. "You set… her papers… on FIRE?" I gasped out between laughs.

She joined in and nodded, "Yes I did. I remember the look on her face… it was priceless."

"Did she catch you?" I asked.

Rin stopped laughing and struck my staff again. "You have to knock me down first!" she said in a singsong voice.

I quickly countered her attacks, smiling to myself. We'd been doing this for a while, and she was fluent in the ways of our game. After a few blows, I found myself down on the floor and I chuckled. Rin was waiting patiently for me to reveal a secret as I stood up.

I smirked at her, "I'm afraid of snakes."

The complete randomness of the statement made her giggle, "Oh come on, tell me something real!"

"I just did! I'm afraid of snakes!" I said in defiance, a grin coming over my face.

"Really Kentoku, what?" Rin said, looking at me sternly.

I sighed, "That was it my dear." I said, striking her and she blocked me. I put hard on the offensive, and yet I managed to find myself on the floor again. I glared up at her. "You need to stop doing that."

She just smirked and leaned on her staff as I stood up. "I want to know how you see me."

I turned to her, surprised. She usually let me pick something to tell, so her asking me was a change. And what she asked was even more of a mystery. But, I had to answer fairly.

"I see you as a strong willed and beautiful woman that knows life is hard, but can still enjoy the good things about it." I said softly, and Rin smiled.

"Thank you." She said softly. I nodded, lowering my staff and grabbing hers. She didn't let go, so I just pulled her closer to me. She looked up at me, gray eyes dancing. I smiled and kissed her gently, and she let her staff fall to the ground with a clatter as she wrapped her arms around me.

I laughed against her lips and broke away, "Rin… are you a little playful right now?"

"No I am not!" she cried, arms still around my neck. "It's just…"

"What?" I asked softly, tilting my head down so I could hear her better.

"Kisses are something to enjoy… especially when they come from you."

I was deeply touched. Something that I don't think twice about giving she treasures? How wrong is that? I let my staff fall and I gathered her in my arms. She sighed and leaned her head against my chest. I looked up at the ceiling and thought hard.

I've come a ways. I was a depressed and mourning man until a beautiful bathhouse worker came and turned everything I knew around. She saved my life more than once, and I gave hers back to her. She helps me overcome my sorrow and I never think twice about her during the day.

What is wrong with me? I wondered to myself, the corners of my eyes becoming moist. I closed my eyes and let two tears fall down my face. I opened my eyes and brushed them away before Rin saw them and I smiled down at her. She winked at me and I gave her a quick kiss and picked up my staff. I wanted some sleep.

* * *

**((Amaya's POV))**

Wedding details… oh how I'm coming to hate them. They're almost done because there is absolutely nothing to do in the bathhouse. Chihiro's showing now and she's thrilled. Haku's been running around like a nut, making sure nothing is coming that will harm his soon to be new family.

Perun's been as calm as calm gets, and he's helped me out a lot. He's about the only sane one around her. Chihiro and Haku… that's given happiness and insanity. Kentoku and Rin are fine, but it's obvious they're hiding something. I think Eve's the only one that hasn't completely lost it, but she kinda got jumpy when she heard that Felix and Basir were coming back from patrols around the surrounding country. She evidently knows the two generals, and doesn't want to see them for some reason. I wonder why…

Now I'm thinking its just Perun that's sane because I'm not going to last very long if I'm buried in all of these wedding details. I need to get OUT. BADLY.

Chihiro came into the room and sat down in a chair slowly, pulling out a book of dresses and smiled at me, "You better get a dress soon…"

"Heh, I guess. Want to make sure it fits." I agreed, coming to stand beside her. The book rested on her slightly round belly, and I gasped.

She laughed, "Yes Amaya, it's a child."

"No, no, it's not that!" I cried, "Chi… the wedding is going to be REALLY close to your due date…"

She blinked a few times. "Huh, it is isn't it? Well… that's definitely another bump in the road this pregnancy has caused."

"Don't worry about it!" Perun said, coming into the room with Haku. "Wait… you'll be really close won't you?" He asked, grabbing himself a glass of water.

"About eight months." Haku confirmed, looking at me.

I sighed, "We'll have to move it then."

Chihiro gasped, "No! Amaya, you are NOT going to delay your wedding because of me!" she said sternly, grasping my arm lightly.

I patted her hand in reassurance. "I wont delay it… I'll make it around sooner."

Poor Perun… he had been taking a sip of water when I said that. He choked and water was sprayed everywhere. "What?" he croaked out.

"I'll have to make it sooner… unless you want to wait a year."

"No! No, I don't want to wait a year." Perun said, setting his glass down.

"Then it has to be two months." I said, opening another book. "So, that means you two have to scram and let me finish things."

Perun opened his mouth to protest, but Haku grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "You heard your fiancé, let's go!"

"But hey, I haven't seen her all day!" Perun protested, trying to get out of his brother's hold.

Haku's arm snapped out and grabbed his little brother in a headlock. "She'll still be here tonight."

"But I want to see her BEFORE tonight!"

Haku snickered, "You can keep your pants on until then, so just chill out." Perun gasped in shock at his brother's statement, and Haku let out a triumphant cry. He threw him out of the room and shoved him down the hall.

"How dare you make a comment about my sex life! I, unlike you, am waiting for marriage! Hey… when DID you and Chihiro-"

"Oh no, don't you DARE think I'm telling you a thing! And are you seriously waiting for marriage? Father didn't do that."

"You're kidding!"

Haku laughed, "I'm not! So, I'll tell you about me and Chihiro only if you tell me when you're REALLY going to bed Amaya-"

"Guys!" I cried in outrage, Chihiro having a laughing fit, "You left the door open!"

Both men poked their heads in and looked at each other nervously. Then Haku's mouth twitched. Perun chuckled, and the both of them busted out laughing. Chihiro let her giggles be heard, and I couldn't help but smile.

Boys will always be boys no matter how old they'll get.

* * *

Two Months Later  
_Chihiro's Pregnancy – 5 Months_

I can't believe it's here… my wedding is three days away! Perun and I were assigned different levels of the bathhouse so we would be apart for the traditional three days. Kentoku was to lecture him about his new duties. Rin and Yubaba were to do it for me, but soon gave up when they discovered that I wasn't paying attention. Chihiro and Eve were trying their best to calm me down, and Eve actually threatened to give me a sleeping draught right there and then if I didn't go to bed the night before. I mean, who would want to sleep the night before their wedding?

_The Next Day_  
**((Kentoku's POV))**

Perun was pretty calm for the past few days, but when he woke up on his wedding day… he was a nutcase. Literally. I was afraid I'd have to give him something to sedate him at one point. Haku and I managed to force him into his tux, and I left the room to escort Amaya down the aisle. Haku, Basir, and Felix were to be the groomsman, Haku being best man. Rin, Chihiro were bridesmaids and Eve was the maid of honor. I haven't figured out why Chihiro isn't, but I guess I'll never truly understand how the female mind works. When I stepped into where the girls were getting ready, (when it was safe) I noticed why Chihiro was just a bridesmaid.

For only being five months along… she was pretty big. There was no way she would want to be the maid of honor in the form fitting dress. It all suddenly made a LOT more sense. I looked over at Amaya and my breath caught.

Perun… good luck.

It was an ivory dress with a pretty long train. A halter-top with sewn in beads glimmered and she smiled up at me from beneath her veil. "Does it look good for last minute?"

"There is no way that this dress was last minute." I said seriously. Amaya blushed and came over. I offered her my arm and I escorted her out of the room… and then down the aisle.

Nothing went wrong, as planned. Now the newlyweds were dancing happily in the ballroom at their reception, and everyone was enjoying themselves. Now there was an even bigger reason to celebrate our peace. Looking around the dancers and all gathered, they think it's going to last. But I know better. It won't, Kallisto will come back. It's only a matter of time now, though I don't expect her to even think about showing her face again for another year. Rin was at my side and she smiled up at me. I smiled back down and led her out to the dance floor for the next song. I enjoyed dancing more now; after all, I had a wonderful dance partner.

After the song, I took her back to our table so she could have a sip of her drink. I looked at the doors, and to my confusion, they opened! Basir and Felix came down the steps, all ready for the festivities. Then they each spotted Eve talking with Chihiro. They started making their way down the steps and across the room, and I knew that unless she wanted to confront them here and now, she had to get out of here.

I weaved through the people and grabbed my sister's arm. "Now would be a great time to leave."

She took a sip of her glass of wine and looked at me in confusion, "Why? There isn't anything wrong!"

"There's going to be if you let Felix and Basir reach you." I told her.

She immediately set down her glass and I helped her out of a secret door in the wall. "Thank you." She whispered to me before she took down the hall. I closed the door and turned around to see a confused Haku and Chihiro.

"Why did she have to leave?" she asked, her arm through Haku's.

I smiled sadly, "You want to know the story? All right, you asked for it.

Basir and Felix are twins, and they're both Eve's age right? So, both of them have their eye on her. But, there's a catch to this. Felix likes Eve, but she only thinks of him as a friend. Basir likes her, but he doesn't show it in front of his brother because he refuses to woo a woman that his brother likes. Eve likes Basir but respects that he doesn't want to hurt his brother."

"So it's been like a stalemate for the last… how many years?" Haku asked.

"About twenty. It's completely ridiculous, but I respect the fact that she doesn't want to confront them right now. After all, they thought she was dead. It would create a scene if she tried to slip away after they talked to her."

Haku and Chihiro nodded, and I smiled at my oldest son. "You might want to follow her example, I'm sure you're feet are killing you Chihiro."

She winced and lifted on her feet, "They are actually…"

Haku looked down at her as they walked toward the entrance. "Why didn't you tell me? We would have left a lot sooner."

"Haku!" I called out, and he turned around. I opened the door Eve has escaped through and Haku nodded his thanks as they ducked in and went up to their room. I shut it behind them as Rin came up.

"Is something wrong? I saw Eve and then Haku and Chihiro leave…"

"Nothing really. Eve's just escaping her suitors."

Rin giggled, "Oh dear… who are they?"

"Felix and Basir." I said, offering her my arm and walking her back to our table. Sure enough, Basir came up to our table. "How are things?" I asked, delaying what he really wanted to talk about.

"Fine, nothing out of the ordinary. I was actually wondering if you had seen Eve-"

"She's retired for the night." I said quickly, watching him nod in understanding.

"I see. Well, I hope that I'll be able to talk to her without everyone around sometime. I have a lot to apologize for."

I blinked in confusion, "What do you have to apologize for?"

"I doubted her. I thought that she was dead. I didn't think that she could take care of herself behind enemy lines."

I shook my head, "I thought she was dead as well, you have nothing to be sorry for." Basir nodded and began to leave, but I caught him before he left. "Oh, and Basir?"

"Yes Kentoku?" He asked, turning back around.

"If you want to be noticed by someone, you have to speak up. If you don't, nothing will change." I told him, and he nodded reluctantly.

"What was that about?" Rin asked.

I kissed the top of her head, "You'll know soon enough."

* * *

A/N: I combined the next... THREE chapters so I could give you a long chapter before I lost the modem and couldn't update for a while. Heheh. I hoped you liked it, cuz this is all you're getting for about two weeks.

As of Tuesday or Wednesday, I WILL NOT HAVE THE INTERNET. We're moving, and that's the day my mother takes the modem back. -- So, I'm updating before I'm unable to.

I'm also starting school in two weeks, so I won't be able to update as much then, maybe once or twice a month. So, don't get used to frequent updates anymore because you probably won't see them as much as you like to. I'M SO SORRY!

**Lillix Vail  
StrugglingArtist  
Priestess Kohana  
Princess of the Wind  
Kitsunegirl05  
White Dragon 01  
XxLil-AngelxX  
Kataan  
mistress of mist  
annoying-little-girl  
Mushrambolover  
-LiddaL-MushRo0m-**

Thank you for reviewing you guys! I hoped you liked the little love triange I set up... XD

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_


	30. The Power Of Sound

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 30**

_The Power of Sound

* * *

_

A Week Later  
_Chihiro's Pregnancy – 5 months _

**((Rin's POV))**

This was so confusing, which in turned into frustration. I hate being confused, even more than Felix or the foreman hitting on me. I was confused about so many things. Like how long this "peace" is going to really last, how Haku and Chihiro are going to raise a child during a war… and what's going on with Kentoku.

He's the center of all my confusion. ALL of it. Frankly… I don't like it one bit. I know that he cares for me, but he sure doesn't show it all of the time! He can't be new at this; he had a _wife_ for crying out loud! But I was going to lose my mind if I didn't talk to anyone about this really soon.

And who knew him better than his sister?

Chihiro had told me in a passing conversation that Eve was a great listener and she gave out decent advice. That's just what I needed really, someone who would listen and translate Kentoku's actions because I can't do it myself. I knocked on the door to her bedroom, my stomach in knots. What if this wasn't a good idea?

"Rin?" Eve asked, head cocked to the side, "You know you don't have to knock."

"We may share this room, but your bedroom is yours. I'll knock." I said, wringing my hands.

She looked down at them and raised an eyebrow. "Okay what's eating you?"

"How… how do you understand your brother?" I asked quietly.

Eve blinked, "Can I tell you what he's really saying and feeling? Yes, somewhat. Let me guess… you're confused right?"

"Yes." I sighed, looking down at my hands.

She opened the door completely and ushered me inside her room. "Well I can tell that this is going to take more than a few minutes, so sit down."

I did and she sat right across from me at her desk. I felt like I was in Yubaba's office, except without the tension in the air. "I'm so confused. I know that he cares for me-" I began, but I was cut off when she snorted.

"Cares for you? Rin, that's a very big understatement. He's smitten… wait, that's not right. He's way beyond that… um… I'd say that he's completely and utterly clueless, how does that sound?"

I laughed, "He's not clueless, and he knows what he's doing."

"Uh… no he doesn't. He's never felt what love's really like." Eve said.

I blinked, "What are you talking about?"

"He's marriage to Lavanya was arranged, he didn't love her." Eve said. She smiled when she saw my look of shock. "Well then you're probably wondering why they had children? That's a story. You see, they were friends before the marriage was arranged, and Lavanya's parents offered Kentoku her hand. At first he was repulsed by the idea, they were really close friends, not lovers. But when Lavanya's father found a better suitor… Lavanya pleaded with Kentoku to marry her. She despised that other man… greatly and would do just about anything to not marry him.

"But Kentoku told her that he refused her hand and that he couldn't take it back. He came home that night and looked like he wanted to bang his head against the wall. I talked to him about it and we came up with a solution. That man would only marry a pure spirit… so Lavanya had to lose her purity."

"Huh?" I asked.

Eve smiled at my confusion. "Kentoku told her of his idea, and she quickly jumped at it. They slept together. They hoped that Kentoku's confession to her father would cut the marriage with the younger spirit, and have her marry Kentoku. But it got even better."

"Lavanya became pregnant." I said with a smile, now understanding.

She nodded. "Exactly. So, they ended up getting married and Lavanya had Haku and Perun. All's well."

I frowned, "But if he didn't really love her… why was he…"

"Miserable?" Eve suggested. When I nodded, she let out a sigh and shrugged. "That I don't know. He may have fallen in love with her, but I highly doubt it. But she was his closest friend, and she was the only one that knew of his real pain when I went missing. She was also the father of his children, so he cared for her though it may have not been love. Does that make sense?"

I nodded, "It does. But that still doesn't explain why he's-"

"Being difficult? It's just how men work." Eve said with a laugh. "But there is some reason behind it. Now that you know about Lavanya and their arranged marriage, it clears up a few things. _Kentoku has never been in love._ So, everything he's feeling for you right now is completely new to him and he has no idea what to do. What little he learned about women he learned from being married to Lavanya doesn't help him anymore. You're so different than her it's not even something to laugh at. He's just utterly confused. Maybe you should help him…"

"But I don't know how." I said helplessly, "But he really does like me?"

Eve rolled her eyes, "Oh how many times do I have to say it. He doesn't _like_ you… I think he _loves_ you. I think that because he NEVER looked at Lavanya the way he looks at you."

I bowed my head and blushed. So he did… amazing. What he saw in a former bathhouse worker like me I will never know… I'm just happy he found something.

"Now… do you like him?" Eve asked, leaning back in her chair.

Now it was my turn to laugh, "Do you think I would be here asking you about him if I didn't?"

Eve inclined her head with a smile. "Fair enough," she said. "But… do you love him?"

I paused; this one I wasn't sure of. I knew that she would see through my lie, so I didn't even try to think of one. "I… I'm not sure."

"You're not sure?" Eve asked, and eyebrow raised. "How do you feel around him? Like your heart goes to your throat and you never say what you really want to? Butterflies in your stomach? Like you're going to faint if he kisses you one more time?"

I gasped. How did she know? My eyes narrowed, "Wait-"

"Oh yes I know he's kissed you. He was walking around with a bounce in his step for the rest of the day. I KNEW something was going on between you two since then."

I blushed. "Are we that easy to read?"

"Just him. He is my brother after all. But you my dear… are a complete mystery to me."

I laughed, "I'm dreadfully sorry." I stood up and smiled, "Thank you for your help."

"Not a problem." Eve said with a laugh, and leaned back in her chair again. "But do one thing for me Rin."

"What is it?" I asked, turning back around to look at her.

"Are you afraid to say that you love him?"

My heart froze. And she said that she couldn't read me… bull crap. "Yes." I said softly.

"Why?"

"I… I don't know!" I said, a tear sliding down my cheek. "I just… I've never felt like this before either and I'm so utterly confused with what I'm feeling to begin with and he's not helping…"

"Whoa! Wait, didn't you have a husband?"

I sniffed. "I had a child and he was the father… but he was never my husband." I said softly. I did NOT want to talk about this.

Eve seemed to get something and didn't ask me anything else about my previous life. "Are you afraid to say it because you don't know how you feel?"

I paused. Why _was_ I afraid to say it? Was I even afraid to say it? Or did I just not want to lay my feelings on the line only to watch them get hurt? I knew that Kentoku wasn't going to do anything, so I might as well say it.

I looked up and smiled at her. "Yes… I love him."

"You love my brother?" She asked me with a huge grin.

I laughed, "I love Kentoku!" I cried, and we both burst into giggles. Eve told me that she wanted to get some reading in, and lunch sounded like a good idea to me.

* * *

**((Eve's POV))**

I closed the door behind Rin, a huge grin on my face. Life was good. I waited a few minutes to make sure that no one was in the room before I went over to my closet and opened it.

"Let me guess… you heard all of that?" I asked with a smirk on my face.

Kentoku walked out of my closet and sat down on my bed. "I did…"

I smirked even wider, "And what do you think?"

"I don't know what I think." he said honestly, starring at the floor.

"You told me that you didn't know if she loved you, and I think that was a pretty good answer to your question, what do you think?"

"She loves me…" he whispered to himself softly. A slow smile crept across his face, "She loves me."

"Yes, I think we've made that quite clear." I stated, rolling my eyes. "Now what are YOU going to do about it?"

"You told her stuff that I never wanted her to learn." Kentoku said sharply, looking up at me.

"Ouch, mood swing." I said, "What was I supposed to do? If you were going to get really involved with her, you can't keep secrets Kentoku. You know that. You shouldn't even keep secrets from me, but I know that you do."

My older brother sighed and put his head in his hands. "I'm just great at this aren't I?"

"No frankly, you suck at it." I said, sitting down at my desk and picking up my book.

"Well thank you for being so honest!" he said sarcastically.

I waved at him, "Not a problem."

He groaned and stood up, "What am I going to do?"

"How about tell her?" I suggested, not looking up from my book.

"Really, what should I do?"

I glared up at him. "How about you listen to me like you're supposed to do and just TELL her!"

"It's not that easy!" he shot back.

I groaned in frustration and set my book down, standing up. "What's so hard about walking up to her, taking her hand and saying, 'Rin I'm sorry that I've been difficult lately and I only want to make sure things get better between us, and less confusing. I love you.'!" I cried, "PLEASE tell me how that's hard!"

"It just-" Kentoku paused, "Hey that was actually pretty good."

I rolled my eyes, threw my hands up with another cry of frustration, and pushed him out the door.

"**Just tell her damn it!"**

I think my point got across… _finally_.

* * *

I needed to blow off steam, so I wandered through the halls, careful to avoid Basir and Felix and entered the practice rooms. Haku and Perun were sparring, no doubt releasing pent up energy. I sat down on a bench next to Amaya and Chihiro were talking and watching their lovers swing around metal. I always saw sword fighting as a pointless pastime, but I wouldn't dare say that aloud.

"Hey Eve!" Amaya said, scooting over, "Down here to watch?"

"I was actually hoping to get some practice in, but I think I'll just watch your husband get the crap beaten out of him by his older brother." I said with a laugh, taking the seat she made for me. Perun cackled as Haku's sword flew out of his grasp just as I sat down. I smiled wryly, "Actually, I came to watch your husband _beat_ his brother."

All of us laughed, and Rin came in. "Hello Eve!" she said, watching Haku get his sword and sheath it. "Oh how did that happen?"

"It was pure luck!" Haku shot back, Perun laughing madly.

Kentoku chuckled as he came in to stand behind Rin. "They'll never grow up."

"You can say that again." I said, rolling my eyes, "You haven't even grown up Kentoku."

Everyone laughed as he gaped at me. "Excuse me! I am NOT some boy?"

"Oh I took your sword once and you practically BEGGED me to give it back to you."

Kentoku couldn't think of anything to say, which just made us laugh harder. Perun and Haku walked over to us, and the younger twin was grinning widely. "So… who feels lucky?"

Rin raised an eyebrow, "Why do you ask?"

"Because I do and I was wondering if any of you wanted to duel?"

I laughed, "We don't dare offer ourselves to be defeated so quickly, so pick whom you shall shame!" I called in a grand voice.

His grin widened. "All right, I challenge you!"

The room went deathly silent. "Me?" I asked casually.

"Yes, you. Why, are you scared?"

"Of course not, but you really don't want to waste your talents on a poor fighter like me."

He snorted, "My only aunt, sister of Kentoku, can't fight? Are you serious?"

"Oh she can fight." Kentoku said softly, his voice as hard as steel. "But she doesn't fight the way you do. She fights with trickery and stealth… with magic."

Perun rolled his eyes. "Okay, really, you're not getting to me with the 'magic' junk. I challenge my aunt, and I'm not stepping down."

I sighed and stood up. "All right then."

Kentoku's hand instantly grabbed my arm. "No. I forbid it."

I raised an eyebrow, "He wants to fight me, so let him."

I could tell his was fighting with himself, but I knew I was going to win. There really wasn't any reason why I couldn't fight him. He sighed in defeat. "Go easy… please."

"Don't go easy!" Perun cried. "I want a challenge."

Kentoku snorted as I walked out onto the smooth, polished wood. "Oh, you're getting the biggest challenge that you ever bargained for."

He clearly didn't believe his father, and I sighed sadly to myself. He came to stand a few feet in front of me and smiled. "Are you ready?"

I smiled slyly. "I will teach you not to dabble into things that you do not understand."

The room was silent as Perun drew out his sword. "Ready your weapon."

"I have no weapon." I said quietly, but my voice rang out throughout the room. He looked at me seriously and didn't even balk at my words. I didn't expect him to, but I knew that I would break him shortly… very shortly.

"I do not attack with a weapon… I use your fear against you." I said and then hummed a few notes. The room around us darkened. "I use the benefit of the doubt and make you believe that things are there… that really aren't." And with that… I melded into the shadows. Perun tensed and felt for my essence, but he wouldn't find it. At least… he thinks that he won't. I love my abilities…

"Okay, I said a duel… this isn't a duel!" Perun called, circling.

"And I told you, I don't fight with a weapon. So, how could I duel you?"

"Just… show yourself all ready!"

"I can do that." I said, the darkness clearing. "But that means my weapons are revealed too."

I took a deep breath, spread my arms wide, and looked to the ceiling. My voice rang out delicately as I readied my attack.

"Holy ocean… raging water… crashing down on me…" I sang, and a tidal wave appeared behind me. I looked to see Perun gaping in horror as a huge tidal wave came down upon him, and he used all of his energy to send it back. I just snapped and the wave vanished. "You shouldn't do that." I told him.

"No… no way…" he whispered, looking at me in shock.

"Oh yes. I really did do that." I hummed a few chords, and the fire from the lamps left, and fell to the floor. They formed men with double swords, and four of them went up to Perun. He fought them expertly, and I was impressed. No one usually lasted this long… they usually called quits at the tidal wave.

I raised one hand to the sky, and I sang another line. "Power of the fire… do me this one favor!" A ribbon of fire appeared in my hand and I took it in both of my hands. I hummed a few more notes, and the ribbon became longer. I shot it at the dueling Perun and it wrapped around him. I sang another line as it wrapped around him. "Fire… burn!"

And that's exactly what it did. I knew that fire couldn't kill him because he could put it out, but the fire definitely evaporates water. He gasped as the fire burned away his magic, and that's not a very pleasant feeling, I'll be the first to testify. He fell to his knees and looked up at me…

"MERCY!" he gasped; the fire around him vanishing. I smiled sadly as he slowly got to his feet.

"I will teach you not to dabble into things that you do not understand… remember that?"

Amaya rushed forward and gave him a little energy. "What did you do?" She cried, looking at me fearfully.

I shrugged, "Nothing big. He'll just be a little tired for a few minutes… plenty of time for someone else to take me on if they wish."

"Are you insane?" Perun gasped, "What kind of a fool would want to face you?"

I smirked, "So, a person is a fool to face me? Well I think that you're the first person that's actually admitted they were a fool, good for you."

Kentoku came up behind the married couple, looking grave at his son. "I told you that she's a challenge. She's not one to mess with, that's why I agreed to let her spy. Almost no one can touch her. You have to face her a few times to know her habits… if you live those few times of course."

Perun shook his head in amazement. "But… what did you do? It was amazing!"

I laughed, "Well, you're definitely odd. Most flee by now… like your father for example."

It was his turn to laugh, "I can't believe that my father would run from you, he's not afraid of anything."

Kentoku chuckled nervously, putting a hand on Perun's shoulder. "You're right; I'm not scared of your aunt. I'm petrified."

Silence greeted his words. "Oh I did not just hear that." Haku said, coming up behind us with Chihiro.

I smiled sadly, "You did. Honestly Perun, I think you would have given me a very hard battle if I didn't have restrictions and if you knew how to attack with magic constantly."

"Seriously?" He asked, "Could you teach me?"

"Perhaps… Amaya might have a few objections."

"Wait… you weren't using all of your power?" Chihiro asked, "How much do you have?"

"Enough to scare me!" Kentoku said quickly, ushering the group out.

"Do you wish to see?" I asked her, and she turned around to face me.

"I would like to see it someday."

I grinned, "Well! The only spirit that could do it right now is my brother… if he agrees."

He froze, and grimaced. "Chihiro…" he whispered, "You just signed my death warrant…"

She looked at him in confusion, and I laughed. "Kentoku doesn't mind fighting me; he just doesn't like it when I attack with sound."

"With sound?" Perun asked.

I giggled, "What did you think I was doing? I sing or hum, or even play, and things of the universe bow to my will… if I'm strong enough. It also depends on what I'm asking, but fire isn't hard to control… neither is water for that matter. I just don't get air… it doesn't like me very much."

They all just starred at me, and Kentoku sighed. "You don't believe her."

"No, frankly, we don't." Haku said, "How does one attack with sound?"

I smiled, "I'll show you. Now, Kentoku, would you be a dear and help me show them?"

He groaned, and glared at his eldest son. "I am going to kill you Haku. I really am." And with that, he walked onto the floor and I squealed.

"Oh it's been so long since you've done this!"

"I know… I liked it that way." He grumbled, pulling out his naginata.

I clicked my tongue at him, "You know that's pointless. Why don't you show off and use something else?"

"Like what?"

"You know what!" I said with a laugh, conjuring up a chair and sitting down. With a snap of my fingers, my mini harp was in my hands.

Kentoku groaned, "Oh please… anything but the harp. I HATE the harp."

"What else do you want me to use? My flute?"

"NO!" He said quickly, holding out a hand to stop me.

I threw my head back and laughed, "No instruments?"

"No instruments." He said with relief, and I stood up.

"Then I guess it's my voice."

He paled, "Wait, the harp sounded like a really nice idea…"

"No thank you, it will be my voice." I said firmly with a smirk.

"Just great…" he muttered.

"Pull out your weapon Kentoku!"

"Not unless you pull one out!" he shot back.

My eyes narrowed, "Pull out a weapon, brother."

He sighed and held his hand out. It began to glow, and with a flash, a crystal staff appeared in his hand. He gripped it tightly and spun it a few times. He struck the floor, sending little sunbursts all over the dark walls. I whipped my own out, except the staff was a cobalt blue with silver scrollwork.

"Ready?" I asked, holding my staff tightly in both of my hands.

"As ready as I will ever be." he replied.

**((End POV))

* * *

**

Everyone held their breath as the two siblings stood motionlessly, waiting for someone to move. Kentoku lost patience first and launched himself at his sister. Perun winced; this couldn't be good. But, surprisingly, Eve didn't throw some obstacle in his way. She met his blow and struck. They did this for a while, moving faster than everyone thought possible. Then, Eve charged her rod up with energy, and sent Kentoku flying back. He hit the ground hard, but bounced right back up as if there was nothing to it.

"Well… this will be fun." Eve said with a smile, the two circling each other.

"Speak for yourself." He answered, jumping back this time. He charged his rod, and it began to shine. It let out a torrent of wind, and unleashed its power at Eve. She snapped her fingers, and the wind hit a sound barrier. Kentoku growled, and charged again.

But Eve was ready for him.

The same shield that protected her from his wind attack sent him flying backward. She held her hands out as he sprang back to his feet, and he froze.

Chihiro gasped when she saw the instrument in Eve's hand. "A… electric guitar?" she cried, Haku looking at her oddly. "They're an electric instrument from the human world. How on earth did she get one?"

"This isn't what you call an 'electric guitar'." Eve explained, "It just looks like one."

"That's a new one." Kentoku said softly, circling her yet again.

"Mhmm." She agreed. "Now, you don't know what it does either…"

He paled, "Please don't kill me." Everyone was shocked at his words? Was he actually begging or asking desperately? Was there even a difference between the two?

"I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing." She said, striking the strings sharply. Screeching filled the room and the sound sent Kentoku to his knees. Eve took the opening, and began to play a hard rock song. Chihiro smiled; recognizing it after a few notes. She loved this song; it was completely harmless.

Until Eve played it.

Now Chihiro would never listen to that song again.

_I'm calling out  
Only echoes respond  
But I scream 'til my voice is gone  
Crouching in corners and hiding your face  
I'm sick and tired of playing your games_

Nothing changed, but Kentoku was on alert. Sound was a force to be reckoned with. Then, the room darkened to the point where only Eve and Kentoku could see.

"Hey! What happened?" Amaya cried.

"It's Eve." Rin said softly, trying to stare through the darkness, but to no avail.

Then, thunder rolled. A flash filled the darkness, and the audience was greeted with a brief vision of Kentoku jumping aside to dodge a lightning bolt.

"He's in the middle of a storm!" Haku cried, trying to fight down panic. Who on EARTH did this willingly? His aunt was starting to scare him, and so was his father.

The darkness lifted slightly, and they could see the silhouettes of the two fighters. Rather mages since they didn't use weapons. Well, normal ones anyway.

Eve's strong soprano took on the next part of the song, and Kentoku dodged another lightning bolt.

_I'm not alone  
I stand amongst the voiceless  
Millions in the unforgiving sun_

_Here arm-in-arm  
We parade these streets  
And sing our songs (and sing our songs)_

The darkness faded entirely, but the storm clouds overhead did not. They continued to send out lightning bolts to the beat, making Kentoku's task that much harder. Perun actually began to worry for his father. He knew that Eve was a hard opponent, but this was entirely **impossible**!

Eve played another chord outside of the song, and five lightning bolts shot down at the same time. Kentoku played a game of duck and dash, and soon found himself backing away from five lightning based men, swords drawn.

Today was not his day.

_We've had enough  
Is there even anything left to explain? (We've had enough)  
Am I really someone you need to restrain? (We've had enough)  
Can't you listen to what we have to say? (We've had enough)_

Then the unthinkable happened.

The floor… moved!

And this wasn't an earthquake. In an earthquake, the ground shook and things became destroyed. In this instance, the floor moved and shifted like a tectonic plate and created mountains and valleys between the siblings. Kentoku let out a string of curses that astonished everyone watching. Kentoku now had to watch out for lightning bolts, five lightning men, AND trenches. Just when things looked like they couldn't get any more complicated… they did.

_Unknowing, we lie and wait for the rain  
To wash away what they have made  
Face down in the dirt with your foot on my back  
In the distance I hear thunder crack_

_C'mon stand up!  
This system of power and privilege is about to come to an end  
Here come the clouds  
The first drop is falling down (falling down)_

The men vanished, and Kentoku fell to his knees, gasping for breath. Apparently more than the fighting was affecting him, but no one could figure it out. The storm grew fiercer, and the earth began to shake, for real this time. Kentoku struggled through the terrain, avoided bolts, and made sure not to fall or impale himself.

Perun shook his head in fear, "This is wrong… how can one spirit do this?"

"I do not know." Haku whispered, "I do not know…"

_We've had enough  
Is there even anything left to explain? (We've had enough)  
Am I really someone you need to restrain? (We've had enough)  
Can't you listen to what we have to say? (We've had enough)_

When Kentoku reached a flat part, he changed his staff to his naginata, and began to race toward his sister, eyes flashing with frustration and adrenaline. Eve looked up for a nano-second and smirked. She began to play the song faster, which caused the lightning bolts to change their attack patterns. They moved to where Kentoku was, and struck more often. Kentoku let out a cry as he dodged bolt after bolt. This wasn't the way he liked to fight. Then again, this wasn't fighting. This was survival.

Kentoku had enough. He raised his naginata in the air, and roared in outrage. "FIGHT ME, FACE TO FACE!" he cried, and Eve smiled. She played a few notes, and they rose into the air. Her guitar disappeared, and her staff appeared back into her hand.

"Fine." she murmured.

_Our futures burn in red horizons  
Ashes scattered in winds of change  
Casualty numbers are rising  
Now it's time to raise the stakes_

Eve continued to sing the song, keeping the bolts going. Now that she had lost the guitar, the bolts could hit her too, for she was dodging them just like Kentoku was. They didn't have wings, yet they flew around with no effort. The definition of **amazing** was quickly being rewritten to include, 'non-winged, flying spirits.'

But this was something new. Kentoku had caught onto the words, and began to sing them too. The bolts ceased, and he forced her to the ground. Eve fell hard and struggled back up. He landed and rushed his sister, weapon poised. She blocked him quickly, causing the blade to make a deep gouge in her staff.

"You should not have done that." Eve said dangerously, shoving her brother away from her with a harsh note of her voice. The sound sent him flying back, and he hit the floor hard. He got up slower than the last time, and he was greeted with the sight of Eve literally flying towards him.

_We're meant for something more than living just to put food on our plates  
I can't help but wonder - why should we participate?_

He blocked her without effort, and they were soon squaring off with lightning speed. Kind of ironic in a way… seeing as they had been dodging lightning seconds before. Eve pushed Kentoku away just far enough, and started up the lightning bolts… _again_. He uttered a word, and the lightning bolts all turned against Eve.

She high tailed it away from him, but bolt managed to hit her in the leg. She fell to the floor with a cry. Kentoku ran to her to finish the battle once and for all, and to hopefully discourage her in challenging him again.

But a battle is **never** over until Eve says it is.

She swung her staff, catching Kentoku in the side of his head. He crumpled to the ground, but Eve knew that he was just stunned. It took more than a knock on the head to take her older brother out. He slowly got to his feet, and what color remained in his face drained.

Today was not his day.

_We've had enough  
Is there even anything left to explain? (We've had enough)  
Am I really someone you need to restrain? (We've had enough)  
Can't you listen to what we have to say? (We've had enough)_

As Eve sang the last words, the attack that had been charging up in the circle of her hands unleashed, and zoomed toward Kentoku. Everyone watched in horror as the huge lightning bolt connected with his chest, and his body arch back. He hit the floor… and he didn't move.

Everyone learned a very important lesson that day…

Never underestimate the power of sound.

And to never label things impossible.

_For we label things impossible because we do not believe that they can happen.

* * *

_

A/N: I know that an apology won't fix how long I've been gone, so I'm not going to try and give you one. So, let this chapter be a peace offering between all of us. Except it would be nice if I didn't put such a nasty ending huh? XD Heh, life is good.

Well... I know that the song didn't really fit the scene, but it is DEFINATELY fight music. Seriously. And I want to burn that fight scene too. Honestly. I really do want to burn it.

THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO...

**mistress of mist**!

Okay, well, she was supposed to have the chapter dedicated to her when Eve popped out... but yeah. I decided that since Eve was my character originally and that **mistress of mist** supplied me with the idea that she should attack with sound, this chapter would be the better dedication.

Or you could go with I forgot. What ever floats your boat. XD

**Lillix Vail  
annoying-little-girl  
Kataan  
Priestess Kohana  
Mushrambolover  
mistress of mist  
Princess of the Wind  
StrugglingArtist  
Koi hikari  
pollypocket911**

I hope I didn't lose some of you... eh heh.

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine... except the Druids and Eve. And the song is "The First Drop" by Rise Against. LISTEN TO IT. You must!


	31. The Beauty Of Sound

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 31**

_The Beauty Of Sound_

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**((Kentoku's POV))**

Ouch.

I have no idea why I'm not dead. That HURT. Eve's shot me with lightning before, but that was a _lot_ more powerful than last time! I groaned, turning over. I could hear everyone on the sidelines gasp. I nearly laughed; did they REALLY think Eve killed me? Oh that was a good one. I guess I shouldn't tell them that she's never killed anyone in her life…

I got up on my knees, my legs like rubber. My arms were shaking from the bolt, and I grimaced. Great, I couldn't even stand up. I heard someone come forward, but I shook my head.

"Let me have some pride here." I said, not even looking at who it was.

To my dismay, it was Rin. She looked somewhat shocked at my outburst, but she nodded. "I'm sorry." She said, and went back to where everyone was watching.

'_Strike two.'_ I thought grimly to myself. _'Watch it Kentoku or you're going to lose her.'_

Everyone waited as I managed to get to my feet. My legs shook, and I knew that there was no way I was getting anywhere. I grimaced at the thought of asking, but I didn't want to fall. "Haku, Perun… now would be a great time to help me."

"Oh!" Haku said, jumping up and jogging over. He grabbed one of my arms and put it around his shoulder. I sighed with relief and sagged, unable to hold my weight. Haku staggered and gritted his teeth. "Perun… help?" He asked.

Perun came over and took my other arm. He grunted when he felt my dead weight. "Damn… do you have to be so heavy?"

I chuckled, "Heh, I could be passed out."

Haku chuckled, "Good point." He said. "Can you get your feet under you?"

"I'm not sure if they'll work, but I'll try." I said honestly. I attempted, but I nearly made my sons fall over. "That would be a no." I told them with a wince.

Perun nodded and my sons hauled me to the bench. They sat me down, and I groaned. Eve hadn't moved from where she was standing. I looked at her sadly. I knew that she was hesitant to head over here.

Chihiro looked over and stood up. "Come on over here Eve." She said, holding out her hand.

My younger sister approached cautiously, everyone looking up at her. She slipped her hand into hers and the mother-to-be led her over to me. She looked down at me, her eyes tearing up. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I've never knocked you down before and-"

I lost it when I saw a tear slip down. "No, Eve, please don't cry. I'm fine, just a little shaky on my legs!" I assured her, rubbing her arm. When I saw another tear fall, I pulled her down next to me and pulled her against my side. "Evangeline…" I whispered, using her full name.

"I'm sorry, I just…" She began, but didn't finish the sentence.

"I'm fine. I'll be good as new in a few minutes." I said softly, giving her a squeeze.

Perun surprised me by coming forward and squatting down before her. "Hey, Aunt Eve? I was wondering… if you wouldn't mind, if you would teach me how to attack with magic like that."

Eve rubbed her eyes and straightened up. "Well, I couldn't teach you how to do exactly what I did because you don't have the air element, or the power over electricity."

Perun chuckled, shaking his head. "That's all right." He said, "I don't need to know how to create a storm. It would inflate my ego to a size that's much bigger than it ever needs to get."

He said it in a tone that suggested he was dead serious, which made Eve laugh. "I'll teach you then, but it's not going to be easy."

Haku snorted, "I think we all know that. I would like to train to, if two isn't too much."

Eve smiled, "Of course two isn't too much! I'd even teach all four of you if Chihiro wasn't pregnant!"

My breath hitched. "Wait… Chihiro can't bond to make Ariadne. There's another being inside her, making the count five instead of the usual four."

Eve gasped. "That's right… this can't get out to Kallisto."

Amaya sighed, "Oh please. We were doing so well about not talking about the war for so long. Can't it just stay that way?"

Eve smirked, "Only if you let me train you!"

She rolled her eyes with a laugh, "Fine." She said.

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That night, dinner was a happy occasion. I had regained the use of my feet, much to my happiness and Haku and Perun's relief. Eve was acting as that afternoon had never happened, and everyone else was happy to comply. Now they knew her power, but I thought that I shouldn't reveal how easy it is to beat her. She attacks with flashy things, but they do hurt. You just have to know her fighting style before you can beat her. Then it depends on how long you live to execute the attack. It really can happen, but the chances are slim to none. Eve isn't a big fighter.

After dinner, she slinked off to who knows where. I let her go, figuring that she might have wanted some time to herself.

((End POV))

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After dinner, the company took a stroll through the bathhouse. Chihiro called a halt when she needed to sit down, her feet hurting. Haku opened a nearby door to see if there was a place to sit down. He found multiple couches against the wall, but what he saw in the center was completely unexpected. Eve sat on a tall stool, playing one of her numerous instruments.

Kentoku smiled, "Now, if we all enter quietly, she may give us a performance."

"She's not going to… do anything is she?" Rin asked softly.

He shook his head, "It's the small harp you need to worry about. Her violin is just an instrument." He assured her, and ushered everyone inside quietly. They sat on the couches that were lined up against the wall, and watched Eve.

She stopped playing and opened one emerald eye. When she found them all listening, she smiled. She closed her eye and paused, leaving everyone hanging.

Then she began to play. The strong but gentle notes floated through out the room, creating a relaxed atmosphere. Eve's electric violin ((A/N: Yes, electric violin. I've played one. XD)) created an entrancing sound that had everyone listening, even those whom didn't like the sound of it. Chihiro closed her eyes, the lull of the music washing over her and putting her to sleep. Haku positioned himself so his pregnant fiancé could lean against him. Amaya crawled into her husband's lap and leaned her head against his chest. His arms were around her in a second, and they enjoyed the music together.

Kentoku was torn between two options. He could either reach for Rin's hand and be rejected, or he could sit there uncomfortably for the rest of the performance. He shell was slowly being broken; the man he was before was slowly emerging once again, and that helped. Kentoku moved his hand to cover hers, which made her jump. Once she recovered, she smiled at the sight; maybe he wasn't that helpless after all. She turned her hand over and laced her fingers through his. Kentoku felt like grinning, but he caught himself. He angled his head slightly to kiss her temple, his normally cool blue eyes shinning.

"Would you look at that?" Amaya whispered, tracing patterns on Perun's chest while looking over at her father-in-law.

"I'm glad that things are working out for them." He replied, running his hand through her blonde hair, peeping one blue eye open to see what Amaya was talking about before he closed it again and listened to the music his aunt was playing.

Kentoku was glad how things were playing out for him – but his hope slowly diminished as Felix and Basir walked in through the door silently. _'Oh dear…'_ He thought to himself, _'This isn't going to be pretty. Oh Eve… I don't want you to have to deal with them but you can't ignore them forever.'_

The two brothers were each wearing their own expressions of interest, but Kentoku knew what exactly was holding each of their attentions. They sat down on the last available couch and listened.

This song was more of a soothing one, and Kentoku was beginning to recognize it. His eyes widened when he finally placed it. He remembered the day she last played this, right down to the clothes he was wearing.

Suddenly, the memory from Kentoku's mind appeared out in the center, and it played out just like it did back then.

_Eve sat on a chair, a music stand in front of her. The music couldn't be heard, but it was obvious she was playing the same song that the current Eve was playing. The view zoomed out to cover the dance floor, and what they saw made everyone breathless._

_It was a sea of spirits, all celebrating one thing… the marriage of Kentoku and Lavanya. _

_The newlyweds weren't that hard to spot, and soon the dance floor cleared for them. Eve began to play a different song, and they began to dance. For a woman that was pregnant, Lavanya moved very gracefully, and Kentoku made sure to slow down to match her pace._

_Neither of them were smiling, their faces aglow. They know why they did this, and they didn't like it in the least. Not many guests could tell because they really could care less. Only a select few did not have a smile on their faces._

_One was Eve. Her eyes were sad as she played the music, knowing that the song wasn't improving her brother and sister-in-law's sadness. _

_Then a man with long raven colored hair looked sadly down at the couple. When everyone focused enough, they nearly cried out in surprise. It was Felix! His dark gray eyes were sad as he watched his best friend be miserable on what was supposed to be the happiest day of his life. _

_Next to Felix was a man with the same colored hair, except with dashes of gold highlights sprinkled all throughout his hair. It was longer in the back than the front, and the shorter strands hit his shoulders while the rest went down to his shoulder blades. This had to be Basir, for his normally cheerful amber eyes held the same look as his brother's. The focus didn't stay on them long, for it zoomed out to view all those that were assembled. The song ended, and everyone clapped. _

_What no one saw was Lavanya ducking her head for a split second, allowing a tear to leak out from her dark blue eye before brushing it away._

The memory faded and everyone was left feeling depressed and grateful that they weren't at such a somber occasion. Kentoku felt like he just needed to scream or yell, anything to forget that day. It killed him when he saw Lavanya cry after they left the reception, but he knew that there was nothing he could do this time to fix their situation. Life just didn't work that way. Slowly, another memory began to play, and Eve's song took on a lighter note. Her violin faded, and a somewhat transparent piano appeared before her.

_Instead of Eve playing, the memory was actually Yubaba playing the grand piano in a parlor of some kind. Her long nails didn't scratch the keys, but clacked almost inaudibly. _

_What was the main focus of this memory was the group of young spirits, all wearing smiles on their faces. They stood in a half circle around the piano, just singing for fun._

_There were four women, and four men. Eve was easy to spot, seeing as her red hair was practically a beacon. It was longer in this memory, almost down to her waist. Her emerald eyes held a spark that everyone had come to grow and love. _

_Standing on her left was a woman with long, pale blonde hair. Her eyes were a dark red, almost black. She resembled Amaya in a sense, but the relation wasn't that great. She was smiling, her dark eyes seeming to become lighter the happier she became._

_And standing on her left was a woman with bright blonde hair. Her eyes rivaled Perun's in darkness, and it was easy to tell it was Lavanya. Her eyes were dancing, and she was refraining from laughing out loud from the looks of it. She wasn't pregnant, which must mean the twins were all ready born or her pregnancy hadn't begun yet. Chances were that it was option two, seeing as Eve was still here._

_Kentoku was next to his sister, looking much different from the present one. His silver hair only went down to his shoulders, but there were highlights of light blue, causing his hair to shimmer in the lamplight. His blue and violet eyes were filled with laughter, contrary to what everyone saw nowadays. _

_To his left was Felix; his black hair a little bit shorter than it was at the wedding. His dark gray eyes were dancing with mischief, enjoying the moment. He was discreetly looking at Eve, which made the situation comical. Even then he was after her._

_To his left was his brother, Basir. His hair wasn't that much different, but his hair lacked the gold streaks. His amber eyes held a small amount of uncertainty, but it quickly disappeared as the song progressed._

_A new man was next to Basir, one that no one had ever seen before. His hair was a copper color, his eyes the color of honey. He wore a huge grin on his face as he sang, clapping to the beat with the rest of them._

_Five hundred twenty-five thousand  
Six hundred minutes,  
Five hundred twenty-five thousand  
Moments so dear.  
Five hundred twenty-five thousand  
Six hundred minutes  
How do you measure, measure a year?_

_In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights  
In cups of coffee  
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife._

_In five hundred twenty-five thousand  
Six hundred minutes  
How do you measure  
A year in the life…_

_When they reached the chorus, everyone's voices combined together to create one of the most powerful sounds anyone had ever heard. They were all smiling, so obviously the war had not started. Or maybe this was a way to forget. Regardless of what was going on in the world, it didn't matter now._

_How about love?  
How about love?  
How about love?_

_Measure in love  
_

_The women sang first, and the men followed with a repeat, going down the scale. The song was powerful, and extremely addicting._

_  
Seasons of love_

_Seasons of love_

The woman with the pale blonde hair stepped forward and sang her solo. She had a strong alto voice, one that carried and was never forgotten. It was surprising that Eve didn't take it, but no one cared. Both were good, and would be great together as a duet… if they would just sit down and practice long enough.

_Five hundred twenty-five thousand  
Six hundred minutes  
Five hundred twenty-five thousand  
Journeys to plan _

Five hundred twenty-five thousand  
Six hundred minutes  
How do you measure the life  
Of a woman or a man?

_The woman stepped back into the line, Eve flashing her a smile. The man with the copper colored hair stepped forward, no longer grinning. He took a deep breath and launched into his solo. His voice was a strong baritone, but surprisingly light. Everyone grinned, listening to his voice. Who knew that so many people could have such good voices?_

_In truths that she learned  
Or in times that he cried  
In bridges he burned  
Or the way that she died_

_The man held the last note for a while and everyone began to clap to the beat again. He cut off and joined in for the chorus. Everyone was beaming, the energy and meaning of the song striking a chord within their hearts._

_It's time now to sing out,  
Tho' the story never ends  
Let's celebrate  
Remember a year in the life of friends  
Remember the love!  
Remember the love!  
Seasons of love!_

_Now the woman who sang the solo and Eve took a step forward and sang a small duet. The sound was amazing, and everyone grinned even wider. Even Yubaba had a smile on her face._

_Oh you got to got to remember the love!  
You know that love is a gift from up above  
Share love, give love spread love_

_The other woman dropped out, leaving Eve to sing the last line. On the last word, she hit an impossible note and held it, the sound bouncing off of the walls and filling the room._

_Measure, measure your life in love_

_Everyone joined in to finish, and Eve stepped back into the line. They clapped for the last line and she sang her own little piece at the end._

_Seasons of love  
__Seasons of love_

_Measure your life, measure your life in love_

_Once the song was over, everyone laughed and the women gave each other a hug. They thanked Yubaba, and she smiled, leaving the room. They continued to talk among themselves, the perfect image of friends._

Eve finished and smiled at all who were listening and watching. She tilted her head to the side, her eyes dancing. "Some of you knew when those happened, but I'll tell you anyway. The first was Kentoku's and Lavanya's wedding. The second was actually before she got pregnant, about a month before Kallisto's first attack."

"So you all knew each other!" Amaya cried, sitting up.

Kentoku nodded, releasing Rin's hand. "We did. We were pretty close friends before then as well."

"But who were those other people in the memory?" Chihihro asked, looking up at Kentoku without moving from her position against Haku.

"They're gone." Eve said simply. "Kallisto killed them."

Silence greeted her blunt statement. "What were their names?" Perun asked, "What were they like?"

Eve smiled, a bigger harp appearing in front of her. She played a low scale, and the man with the copper hair appeared, just standing in the center of the room. "Kentoku? You know him better."

He sighed. "This is Diego. He was pretty young, only about 150 when the war started. He was young enough to be my son, but it didn't matter to us. We became pretty close, and the had the hugest crush on Izumi. He's a lot like Perun actually… but much worse."

Perun glared at his father as everyone laughed, "Hey, how is that bad?"

"Do you go around at five in the morning, dumping buckets of cold water on people?" Kentoku asked dryly. When Perun didn't reply, he nodded. "Exactly what I thought." He said.

"Did he really do that?" Eve giggled, "I didn't hear about that one."

"He really did. So, who's up next?"

Eve played another scale, and the man known as Diego vanished. In his place appeared the woman with the long and pale blonde hair. "And this would be Izumi. She was practically my sister from all of the secrets we shared. I know who her crush is, but I swore to her that I would never tell, so I won't." Felix grinned but Eve rolled her eyes, "But it's not you Felix, so quit giving me that look."

Everyone laughed, but Felix's eyes brightened instead. Kentoku sighed; this could only end badly.

Eve made the harp vanish and stood up. "And those two are the only ones that you don't know, everyone else you've either heard of or seen."

Everyone stood up and thanked Eve for the performance and left the room. Soon it was only Kentoku, her, Basir and Felix.

Felix moved first and gave her a hug, and then a kiss on the cheek. "Well, I never thought I would see you again! How have you been?"

Eve seemed a little unnerved with the friendly kiss. "I've been okay, enjoying my free time."

Basir must have sensed her growing urge to flee and walked up to save her. He gave her a friendly smile, and held out an arm to her for a hug. "Hello Eve."

She smiled, secretly relieved. "Hey there Basir." She said, giving him a hug with both arms while he just hugged her with one. After that, Felix seemed to cool down about getting Eve to fall for him and they all talked like the friends they were.

Kentoku knew that this stalemate wouldn't go on for much longer, at it was only a matter of time before Felix or Basir won the prize…

Eve.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: This is NOT going on hiatus. I REFUSE. I'm so sorry it took me so long, but life's been REALLY hectic. I just moved in and I've started highscool... icky. Well, I hope that this was an okay appology!

**-LiddaL-Mushro0m-  
Koi hikari  
Dying of Reality  
XxLil-AngelxX  
Lillix Vail  
Hoshi -firefairy713-  
Kataan  
StrugglingArtist  
Mushrambolover  
mistress of mist  
Priestess Kohana  
Sailor-Kagome  
White Dragon 01  
Yuki9283**

I am so happy you guys reviewed, and I hope that you're still with me! XD

P.S. And Eve is NOT evil for those of you who think she is. ((lol))

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_

Disclaimer: I bet you guys recognize the song, but it's Seasons of Love from RENT.


	32. More Unexpected News

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 32**

_More Unexpected News_

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

A Month Later  
_Chihiro's Pregnancy – 6 Months_

**((Amaya's POV))**

Oh please tell me I'm wrong.

This is just… great. This was the last thing that needed to happen.

I'm happy, overjoyed to be exact, but this isn't a good thing. We're in the middle of a temporary peace, and I'm PREGNANT! Chihiro's due in three months tops, and I'm going to be with her in a few months. This is just…

Oh gods I'm scared.

I knew that I couldn't keep it a secret, but I was afraid to tell anyone. I didn't want to tell Perun and judge his reaction all by myself; I wanted to tell everyone at once. And I got my chance that night at dinner.

"Amaya… are you all right?" Perun asked, "You're hardly eaten anything."

I shook my head. "I have something to say." I said quietly, but all movement at the table stopped. I took a deep breath and stood up, ready to make my announcement. "Chihiro is due in a few months, and I must say that I'll be right behind her."

Eve blinked. "You're not making any sense. You're not due-" Her eyes widened and she grinned, "Amaya…?"

I smiled despite my nerves. "Yes… I'm pregnant."

Everyone reacted differently just like I knew they would. Felix and Basir congratulated me with a smile, and Rin did the same. Haku punched his little brother's arm with a laugh and gave us both his congratulations. Chihiro gave me a hug, and Eve was grinning from ear to ear. Kentoku had a deer in the headlights look, making Eve laugh. I couldn't blame him. He was going to be a grandfather to multiple grandchildren in less than a year. I bet he feels a little old.

But the look in Perun's eyes was better than all of their reactions put together. He looked up at me, not even saying a word. His navy blue eyes were alight with the utmost joy and happiness, and a bit of shock. It vanished quickly and was replaced with the look of hearing the best news ever. Which in his case, this was the best news.

He took my hand and kissed it gently, and pulled me down into his lap. I sighed and leaned my head against his shoulder, facing the table. He rested his chin just above my collarbone and smiled at me, his eyes still alight with love and happiness. "Amaya…" He said quietly… "How long?"

"Just a month, but I know I'm late." I said softly.

He smiled gently, and kissed my neck. "Thank you Amaya."

I furrowed my brow. "For what?"

"For making me the most happiest man on this planet… and turning my life upside down."

I couldn't help but laugh. Normally I would have been mad, but I just couldn't be. I had to hand it to him; he was taking this pretty well. We ate the rest of the meal among high-strung chatter, mainly about how Ketnoku still looked like he was the one who was going to be the father. Perun didn't let me out of his hold for the rest of the evening, which was just fine with me. No one commented on it, and I was silent for the rest of the meal. I still didn't have much of an appetite, and I guess Perun didn't either.

Everyone was still eating when we left, and none of them seemed to notice we left. Perun jumped into bed while I washed my face. I got dressed and crawled in next to him. He draped an arm over me and pulled me close to his chest. He tilted my head to look up at him and he kissed me soundly. I caressed his cheek, and he smiled against my lips. I pulled away and turned over. Perun made a sound of disappointment, but it turned into a chuckle when I pressed my back against his chest, my body completely molding into his.

"I love you Amaya." He whispered huskily in my ear.

"I love you too Perun… but you're not getting anything tonight." I told him, slapping the arm that had embraced my waist.

He scoffed, "I didn't say anything about that!" He cried softly.

I rolled my eyes, "Oh but you were thinking it."

He paused. "I'm not allowed to?" He asked. I couldn't help but laugh at his tone. I got up and he rolled onto his back in confusion. I straddled his waist and placed my hands on his chest, which made him grin. "Now this is more like it…" He said, placing his hands on my hips.

I threw my head back and laughed. "I'm all ready pregnant Perun, what's the use?"

"We have to have a reason?" He asked, running a finger down my exposed neck and down to my collarbone, sending shivers down my spine.

I looked down at him and smirked. "Good point."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**((Rin's POV))**

Kentoku went outside after dinner, and he told no one why. My curiosity was stirred, and I followed him out. I found him sitting in the grass close to the cliff where he brought me to face with Mitsuko. I walked up behind him and sat down next to him in the grass. The night sky was an endless expanse of black with the occasional bright star that created a beautiful sea of light.

"Is something wrong?" I asked softly, looking at him curiously.

"Just remembering." He replied gently, not once turning his gaze to look at me. Instead he kept it fastened on the stars.

"Remembering what?"

"What life was like before the first war. When everyone… all of my friends were alive."

"You mean Diego and… um…"

"Izumi?" Kentoku said, a faint smile crossing his lips, "Yes, them."

I paused, looking back up at the sky. "What were they really like? Who were they to you?"

He smiled sadly, but he answered my question. "Diego may be a hot head, but he's the most loyal friend anyone would ever dream of having. He was young, only 150. He could have been my son, but he was the little brother that I had. Eve's an amazing sister… but she's just not a brother. I'm told it's a guy thing, or at least that's what Perun says all the time.

"Izumi was a level headed woman, but she lost her temper better than Diego did at times. She loved to make us all laugh, and always managed to conspire with Eve to get the rest of us to do something out of the ordinary, such as sing."

"What element was Diego?" I asked, wrapping my arms around my knees.

Kentoku laughed, "Fire, what else?"

I gasped, "You guys could have gotten rid of Kallisto the first time!"

He nodded sadly, "We could have. We didn't think it would work, so we tried just attacking her all at once. It didn't work, and resulted in Izumi's death."

"Izumi was earth, correct?"

"Indeed she was, very good." He replied, looking back up at the sky. "She was a great friend to me, a sister to Eve, and a lover to Diego."

My heart fell. "Oh no…"

He looked at me, his eyes filled with sorrow. "Diego was devastated. After that, he refused to cooperate with us. He was all bent on avenging Izumi. One night… he ran. There were reports from Eve about it. He had stormed the hideout and was killed on sight. I never even said goodbye."

I looked away from him, tears threatening to spill over. "Have you tried this place out with them?"

"What are you talking about?" He asked.

"You showed me Mitsuko here." I said, turning back to face him. "I got to talk with her even though she was dead. Perhaps you could talk to Izumi or Diego."

His eyes lit up, and he looked at the grass. I knew he was thinking hard about them, but no memory of them showed up. He sighed in frustration. "It's not working."

A slow smile spread across my face. "I asked Yubaba about this place, and it does exactly what we think it does. It shows you the memories of those long past, and let's you talk with them one last time. But she said that if they don't appear here… they're not dead."

"WHAT?" Kentoku cried, jumping up, "Please say that this is some kind of sick joke!"

I stood up, shaking my head, "It's not a joke, and it's the truth."

He grinned, and picked me up under the arms and spun me around and around. I cried for him to put me down, but he just laughed. When he did set me down, his eyes were alight like they were in Eve's memory of the old group singing; they were so full of happiness and life… full of hope. I prayed that his friends were alive, because I loved how his eyes looked right at that moment.

"They're alive…" Kentoku breathed.

I frowned, "Don't get your hopes up. We don't even know if this place is all that reliable. And even if they aren't, we still have no idea what condition they're in or even where they are."

The light in his eyes died slowly. "You're right." He said softly.

My heart plunged, no! I didn't want to do this! What have I done? He seemed to see the look on my face and his eyes filled with worry. "Rin, is there something wrong?" But before I could even open my mouth, he sighed and pulled me close. "I'm fine Rin, honestly. You haven't done a thing to make me upset. I should have thought a little bit more."

"That's the problem," I whispered, "I wanted you to be happy…"

Kentoku sighed and kissed the top of my head, "Just the fact that they might not be dead right now makes me happy. And that you're here with me to share it."

-------------------------------------

A/N: Heh, I haven't totally ignored Ninja and the Demon. This just happened to be the one that I updated first... eheheh. Don't hurt me. And I'm so sorry that this was so short. It was kind of like... an update now and a short chapter... or a long chapter and a delayed update. Normally I would have tried to incorperate some of the ideas from the next chapter into this one, but I was too lazy. Not to mention I like... rewrote half of the plan so now I can't remember where I put my real notes. O.o Go figure.

SO! You'll get a nice and long chapter next time, promise! XD

**-LiddaL MushRo0m-  
Princess of the Wind  
Yuki9283  
annoying-little-girl  
XxLil-AngelxX  
StrugglingArtist  
mistress of mist  
Mushrambolover  
Lillix Vail  
Koi hikari  
bluekitsune251  
Priestess Kohana  
Akina1992  
Dying of Reality**

Whoot whoot! Thanks for reading this even though I'm like going through... hectic phase number 2 of my life right now. XD I'll update before the end of the month... promise! Either that or the first week of September... O.o

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_

P.S. I couldn't help but make Amaya pregnant. ((lol))


	33. What We Cannot See

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 33**

_What We Cannot See _

_A Month Later _

_Chihiro's Pregnancy – 7 months  
Amaya's Pregnancy – 2 months  
_((A/N: I keep track of these so you know, and so I remember and don't have their children born in three months. XD))

**((Basir's POV))**

Haku has been a basket case, running around and making sure everything's ready for his child. The sad thing is that he has to wait another month or two, and he's all ready becoming as bad as Kentoku was when Lavanya was pregnant.

And that's saying something.

Kentoku would make sure that every little thing she wanted was given to her, no matter how outrages the request. Sadly… he'd do them. Chihiro was determined that she wasn't going to succumb to asking for pain relievers at the delivery, but Rin just laughed and told her she'd get them anyway.

Speaking of Rin, I haven't seen Kentoku so relaxed around anyone, not even Felix and me. I don't know what's going on between them, but it's not normal, that's for sure. But whatever it is, I hope it stays. I like to see him smiling; makes me feel like nothing's wrong.

But while Haku was pacing nervously, Felix felt the urge to train. So, whom does he drag along with him? Right: me.

Felix plucked my book from my hands with a grin. "Hey Basir…"

I rolled my eyes; I knew that tone. "What do you want?" I asked, trying to snatch my book back.

He pulled it away before my fingers could graze the pages, "Oh no you don't," he taunted, "You're going to come train with me!"

I groaned, trying to snatch my book back again. "Felix! Give me my book back all ready damn it!"

But my brother just laughed, "Oh I love to push your buttons. It's the best way to pass the time!" When I muttered some choice words under my breath, he laughed even harder. "You'll get your book back after you train with me."

"Whatever."

Swords clanged, and I spun around on my right foot to meet Felix's saber with another crash. We were managed to hold casual conversation while "training", and the conversation slowly began to irritate me.

"So… do you think I might get Eve to warm up to me?" Felix asked, aiming his sword to slash my chest.

I parried it easily and put him on the defensive. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I think I'm going to actually focusing on getting her."

"You speak of her as if she's a prize."

Felix grinned as we exchanged a few blows. "But she is! She's Kentoku's prize that he refuses to share!"

I frowned; what he said was true. "But even if you win his approval, you still have to win hers."

He snorted, "That'll be the easy part."

A little bubbled of anger began to form in my chest. "You can't just assume you can snap your fingers and get any woman you want!"

He laughed as he put me back on the defensive. "I know that! But I also know that she loves me."

With every word he said the ball of anger grew and grew, but it popped in a heartbeat when I heard 'me'. She couldn't love him… she just couldn't… the anger filled me, and I struck Felix's blade harder than necessary. The anger and pain raced through my veins, and I soon had my brother blocking for his life. In a matter of seconds, his saber was across the room and mine was at his throat.

Felix's eyes were wide, "Wow… you all right Basir? You just went all berserk on me."

I lowered my saber and sheathed it without looking up at him again. He would have seen my eyes burning. "Where's my book?"

"On the bench-"

If he was ready to say something else, I didn't hear it. I spun on my heel and strode over to the benches, picking it up. I sat myself down on the bench and began to read, my eyes boring a hole into the pages. My actions clearly told Felix that I was staying right where I was, and he left the practice room, utterly confused. Once I heard his footsteps fade away down the hall, I set my book down off to the side and buried my face in my hands.

What was wrong with me? Was it that Felix was being so cocky, or was it that Eve was his latest goal… again? I knew it was both of them, but mostly the latter. I didn't want him to have her; he didn't deserve her at all. I don't want him to hold her, flatter her, kiss her… I want to do that.

I let out something between a groan and a cry. The problem was still there. I wasn't Felix. I couldn't do anything. It was still there. I knew it wouldn't go away, but… I don't know. I guess I'd hoped it would just vanish over time. I kept on starring at the wood floor. I didn't want to… no, I refused to take a woman my brother liked. But I would rather die than see Eve happy in his arms. It'd kill me.

But what do I do?

Unfortunately and thankfully, someone interrupted my thoughts. "No one likes to see you depressed, especially me."

At first I thought it was Izumi, but then I realized that it couldn't be – she was dead. The female kneeled before me and placed her hands on my knees. I looked up a bit, peaking through my fingers to see whom it was. "Eve." I said softly, the name brightening my mood for an instant before it darkened. "What are you doing down here?"

"I would ask the same of you, but you've obviously been practicing." She said, waving her hand at my weapon and slightly damp shirt. I blushed in embarrassment, causing her to smile. "Well, if you're not exhausted… could you teach me?"

My brow furrowed as I dropped my hands in between my knees, my brain processing her request. "You want me to teach you how to use a weapon? Eve, you all ready know how to fight."

She waved her hand, "I want to learn how to use a real weapon." She replied.

"A… 'real weapon'… since when was a staff not a weapon?"

"I'm not saying it's a weapon – I just want to learn how to use a sword."

I laughed. "A sword? Ask your brother; I don't know how to use a sword like his."

"But-"

I laughed again, shaking my head. "I use a saber; that's different than a sword. The main difference is a saber has a curved blade, which forces you to hold and handle it differently."

She nodded slowly, "Good to know. But I still want to learn."

I smiled sadly, "Still as stubborn as ever I see."

"So, are you going to teach me?"

"If you wish."

Eve jumped up with a giggle of delight and I couldn't help but smile. It was a miracle how this woman could cheer me up in less than a minute. She seemed to hope to the center of the room while I followed at a more dignified pace. She smiled eagerly at me, and I drew my saber out of its sheath. I instantly discovered a problem: I had only one saber.

"Well, it looks like I'll be showing you how to do this differently than I had planned…"

**((Kentoku's POV))**

I hadn't spoken to Yubaba in a while, so I made a point to seek her out. As I expected, we talked about the war and Kallisto. But what surprised me was when she brought up Rin's name; I did something that caused her to further pursue the subject. Now if it was a smile or a nervous shift I do not know, but it was something.

We came upon the practice rooms when she demanded that I tell her what there was between Rin and I. Somehow I was saved, but I was surprised as to how…

"Well, it looks like I'll be showing you how to do this differently than I had planned…"

Yubaba and I looked at each other quizzically and I walked toward the open door to peer inside. My blue and violet eyes widened, and Yubaba soon joined me.

Basir stood behind Eve with his arms around her body to place his hands on top of hers, which held the hilt of his saber. He nudged her foot with one of his, moving it to the right position. She wore a huge grin on her face, but it was soon replaced with a look of concentration. He took a step, showing her a basic move. She was a second behind him and he continued to put her through the same steps.

When he was satisfied, he had her perform it by herself. She did a few and he shook his head.

"What?" She asked, lowering the saber.

He reached a hand out to poke Eve's stomach gently, "These muscles shouldn't be relaxed; you know that." When she blushed he stepped behind her and walked her through it once again.

I was in complete shock. Not only was _Eve_ learning how to use a real weapon, it was a **saber** of all things!

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Yubaba asked me quietly, her voice excited.

I nodded, "I do! It's a saber!"

The witch looked at me like I had gone mad, "Are you blind? Look who's teaching her!" She hissed.

"I know its Basir," I replied, rolling my eyes, "I'm happy, not shocked. But I **am** shocked that it's a saber she's learning!"

"That's it! Great job!" Basir cried, clapping his hands. "Now for something else…"

"Huh?" Eve exclaimed; her shoulders slumped as she looked at him his disbelief. "Are you serious?"

"I'm very serious." He told her, taking his stance behind her, hands over hers on the saber hilt. Eve sighed and sagged a bit, causing her to lean back into Basir's chest. The air seemed to become electrically charged and they both tensed. I held my breath, praying that he'd take a chance. To my delight, he took the blade out of her hand and moved one arm to rest around her waist.

"Do you want to take a break?" He asked softly, his question barely reaching my own ears.

She turned to look up at him, their noses just a few inches apart. The faces flushed and Eve managed a smile through her embarrassment. "Sounds good," She replied, her voice only a hair louder than his had been.

Basir smiled down at her, but his smile faded as her eyes stayed locked on his. He blinked and leaned down a bit, and she began to rise up on her tip toes, tilting her head to the side as her eyes fluttered closed. A slow grin spread across my face and I could feel my excitement rushing through my veins. After all of this time, _something_ was finally going to happen!

But something flashed through Basir's eyes at the last second, and he turned his head away with a nervous chuckle.

I felt myself deflate: I was going to kill him. You just DON'T come that close and do that. I force myself to calm down and watch and wait – maybe he'd make up for it…

Eve's eyes seemed to dim as she put her feet flat back on the ground, but she flashed him a small smile, even though he could see right through it. Basir seemed to frown, and I almost felt his pain – almost. He seemed to be genuinely confused, but about what I haven't the slightest idea. I mean, what was so confusing about kissing the girl you like?

Okay, well, she is my sister, but I don't mind if it's him… somehow I didn't think that was it. Maybe it was rejection? Oh, but that didn't look like rejection on Eve's part. Maybe he's…

"Afraid?" Yubaba suggested in a whisper.

I turned to look at her in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Maybe he's afraid of what kissing her will do to them? Or maybe it's Felix?" At my shocked face, she shook her head in disappointment. "Kentoku, surely you've seen that Felix is completely smitten by your sister? There's nothing that either she, you, or Basir can do about it – he just is."

"But I know that he likes her…" I muttered, looking at the couple in the room. Basir had led Eve back to a bench and they were currently making pleasant conversation as if the almost kiss on the floor had never taken place. I leaned my forehead against the cold wood. What was so confusing about this? When two people like each other, they normally confess and are happy. Then I couldn't help a sad smile come across my face.

We're not exactly normal.

I sighed, knowing that this was one of those things that I was going to have to watch and see how things fell… I hated that. But a few of my thoughts slipped out, "He doesn't like her… he's head over heels for her but he still won't do anything!"

Yubaba held back a full-blown laugh. "Do not accuse them of what they cannot see when you cannot even see it yourself." I watched her go back up the hall, her words imbedding themselves into my memory.

This was never going to be easy… but I knew that from the start. Women never were. I could see it, I could see that it would make me happy… but I just couldn't take that first step. Maybe it's the fear of doing something completely out of the norm, something new. Then again maybe I was just like Basir – afraid of what other people would think and what she would do if I said those three words. I sighed; the problem wasn't going to leave, nor did I want it to.

"_Do not accuse them of what they cannot see when you cannot even see it yourself…" _

**((End POV))**

Chihiro was sitting on the couch, her eyes scanning the pages of an old novel. Her legs were curled up beside her, her feet screaming from the extra weight of her child. Instead of her usual kimono, she wore a simple nightgown. It clung to her pregnant form, accenting her new but temporary figure. Her breasts were larger, as expected, and her stomach was a perfectly round hill on her abdomen. Her face shone with the prospect of motherhood and her hands were ever so gentle as she turned the pages without a sound.

Haku thought that there could never be a more beautiful sight than the one he saw now. He leaned against the doorframe, hands in his pockets with a smile upon he face as he watched her. Chihiro tucked a lock of her hair behind an ear and Haku smiled even wider. All this beauty and life was his. What male wouldn't have a bigger ego?

She looked up briefly and saw him, surprise coming across her young face. Haku's grin was replaced by a gentle smile. He stepped forward as he spoke, "Do you know what day it is?" He asked softly.

Her chocolate eyes became thoughtful. "No… I don't." She answered, "What is today?"

"They day you came here for the first time." He replied softly, taking the book out of her hands and helping her to her feet. "Do you remember?"

She smiled, squeezing his hand. "Of course I do."

Haku smiled back, walking her over to the window. "It's been eleven years you know."

She giggled, "I'll be 21 in a few weeks…"

"So you will." He replied, placing his hands on her round stomach. Chihiro smiled and rested back against him, ignoring her sore feet.

The couple watched the rain fall in sheets, filling the evaporating sea to its full capacity. Chihiro reached out to open the window, but Haku grabbed her hand gently and placed it where his hand had previously been. The occupant kicked, causing them both to laugh. She moved to place her hand atop of his other one and he rested his chin on her shoulder.

"You look beautiful… you know that right?" He murmured.

Chihiro rolled her eyes, "You tell me every now and then." She said sarcastically.

Haku chuckled, kissing her temple. "But it's true." He told her. A comfortable silence fell over them before he closed his eyes and began to hum. She was about to ask what it was, but before she could do so, his voice came through, singing just above a whisper.

_Look into my eyes, you will see  
What you mean to me  
Search your heart, search your soul  
When you find me there  
You'll search no more_

She smiled at the familiar words, a sense of peace washing over her. She leaned back into him fully, and he shifted to accommodate the added weight. As Haku's soft, whispered song continued, Chihiro looked down at her stomach. It wouldn't be much longer now.

_Don't tell me it's not worth trying for  
Can't tell me it's not worth dying for  
You know it's true, everything I do  
I do it for you_

_Look into your heart  
You will find there's nothing there to hide  
Take me as I am, take my life  
I would give it all  
I would sacrifice_

Chihiro smiled sadly, knowing the truth of these words. She hoped that nothing would happen to fulfill these words, but nothing was certain now, not since the war started. She began to hum along with him as she felt one of his hand trace nonsense patterns on her belly. Her skin tingled wherever his fingers had gone, still tingling seconds later. She smiled when she saw him draw a heart on her belly, and laughed when their child kicked. He smiled at her happiness, continuing his whisper song.

_Don't tell me it's not worth fighting for  
I can't help it, there's nothing I want more  
You know it's true, everything I do  
I do it for you_

_There's no love like you're love  
And no other could give more love  
There's not where unless you're there  
All the time, all the way_

Haku kissed her cheek, pausing long enough to take a quick breath. He was about to continue, but stopped halfway when she looked up at him. Tears were shinning in her eyes, a few slipping down her cheeks. Haku was nose used to her mood swings triggered b the hormones. He wiped them away and took one of her hands.

"Time for some sleep Chihiro." He said softly.

She sniffed, nodding her head as Haku helped her under the covers of their bed. "Are you coming soon?" She asked.

He smiled after he kissed her forehead. "I'm coming right now. Just let me get ready." She nodded and closed her eyes and he undressed, getting into something he could sleep in. Donning a pair of pants, he climbed into bed next to her. She snuggled into his bare chest and he hugged her close with a smile. Then he began again

_Oh you can't tell me it's not worth trying for  
I can't help it, there's nothing I want more_

_Yeah I would fight for you  
I'd lie for you  
Walk the wire for you  
Yeah I'd die for you_

_You know it's true…  
_Haku whispered, kissing her temple and resting his head back on the pillow…  
_Everything I do_

A faint smile spread across Chihiro's lips as they moved:  
_I do it for you_

A/N: Just please... don't kill me. I know that this is a pretty crappy chapter for not updating in over than a month. I'm not going to give you any excuses and pleas to forgive me, because you shouldn't. I'm lazy, therefore I shouldn't get any "It's okay, this was a great chapter" in forgiveness. I really don't deserve it ya'll.

And this chapter if for all ya'll that wanted to see a bit more HakuxChihiro. Sorry, that's the best I can do when she's pregnant...

Well, the song isn't something new, but it's _"(Everything I Do) I Do It For You"_ by Bryan Adams.

**mistress of mist  
Lillix Vail  
StrugglingArtist  
Kataan  
XxLil-AngelxX  
Priestess Kohana  
annoying-little-girl  
Dying of Reality  
Princess of the Wind  
Mushrambolover  
-LiddaL-MushRo0m-  
White Dragon 01  
Yuki9283  
Sailor-Kagome  
redfirerose  
Punkin Pie**

I love you all, and I really hope that I didn't loose some of you... I swear I'll try to be better about this!

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_

P.S. I'll go back and edit these chapters for errors and grammar later... maybe when I'm done writing this...


	34. The Gifts Of Life

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 34**

_The Gifts Of Life

* * *

_

_Chihiro's Pregnancy – 8.5 Months  
Amaya's Pregnancy – 3.5 Months_

**((Haku's POV))**

I never imagined I could ever be this nervous. A few weeks ago seems like heaven compared to right now. Right now… gah, I can't even think straight! Chihiro is down in the hospital wing, ready for the delivery… oh goodness. This is not amusing – how did my father do this? More importantly… how is Perun going to live through this?

Better yet… am I?

Okay, I need to stop being so pessimistic… it's not helping at all.

Deeming my actions as pathetic and increasingly annoying, I left our room and wandered the halls of the bathhouse. Chihiro and I had remodeled our apartments to accommodate the new arrival, and the old study was the nursery while the study moved in with our living room. It's not crammed at all like I thought it would be. As a matter of fact, it's… cozy. Like its well lived in. I kind of like it…

… Chihiro's been in the infirmary for a week now. Amaya is with her for support while preparing herself for her own delivery in about five months. Perun's steering clear, still not ready to hear about it. He's a good guy, but imagining him as a father somewhat scares me at the moment. He's just a big kid himself. Then again… I'm not sure if I'm much better than him. I'm caught up in the fighting, the wonder of love, and enjoying life. Fatherhood? I know that I wanted Fate to test me, but I'm not sure if this was exactly what I bargained for…

What am I talking about? Of course I'm ready for this… maybe… sort of…

Oh gods I'm not.

Stopping to lean against the wall, I bent my head and starred at the ground, boring holes into it and demanding it to give me the answers, the words, to soothe my frazzled nerves.

My father, Kentoku, was with Yubaba seeing as Rin was unavailable. Felix wouldn't be much comfort, he'd only laugh at my worries. Eve and Basir are missing yet again, who knows where they've gone. My father told me of what happened a month or so ago, and I smiled. Those two are a match, no doubt about it. He and Yubaba are actually making bets to see when they'll finally realize it…

I groaned, realizing that I was trying to distract myself from the problem at hand… what was it again?

I **knew** that I couldn't think straight.

I let my feet carry me without really watching where I was going. I found myself in the lobby before I even realized what was going on. Collapsing into an armchair and putting my head in my hands I noticed that my knees were shaking. What was _wrong_ with me? I've never been this nervous…

Well, step one complete. I've admitted that I'm nervous.

Step two: overcome fear of being nervous and being a father.

… That's going to take a while.

I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts and nerves, yet again, that I completely missed the chaos that had enveloped the room. What a shocker.

"Haku!" Perun shouted, shaking my shoulder, "Earth to Haku!"

"What?" I asked, looking up at him with a very confused look on my face. "Are we being attacked or something?"

"Of course not!" He cried, rolling his eyes and hauling be out of my chair effortlessly, "It's just that the biggest bombshell of your life is coming this way!"

"Huh?" I replied, blinking. I knew I didn't sound very intelligent at the moment, but then again I didn't feel like I was very smart; and the look that he was giving me clearly labeled me insane.

"Where have you BEEN?" He groaned, pulling me on down along the halls, heading toward the infirmary. "Chihiro's in labor!"

The world stopped. It just… stopped, ceased to spin. I wrenched my arm out of his grasp and stared at him, eyes wide and in shock. He looked back at him with frustration, arms crossed over his chest. Then he realized that he probably could have been nicer about dropping the bomb.

"Hey-"

But I didn't hear him.

I took off down the halls, creating buffets of air at my passing, blowing women's hair and dresses into disarray. Their cries of annoyance followed me, but they were lost upon the wind. I had only one destination in mind – my fiancé's bedside.

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My father looked up once I skidded to a halt in the waiting room and chuckled. "There you are."

"When can I go in?" I asked breathlessly, my chest heaving from the run.

But he just shook his head. "You can't."

"WHAT?"

Now he laughed. "Haku, you have to let the women handle this. Men have no place in the delivery room."

"You know what, I seriously doubt that!" I cried, throwing my arms up. "I want to be in there!"

My father wasn't about to be swayed. "Kohaku… my son… just be patient. You would only get in the way. Trust me, I had to wait out here while your mother was giving birth."

I looked at him, my eyes not at all pleased. "How did you do?"

He had the guts to smile. "Horrible."

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I sat there for what seemed to be hours, listening to the women bustle around, crying out to each other… and her screams. Screams of pain. I knew that I had a very big part in this, and it killed me that I couldn't be in there with her. Every scream clawed at my heart and threatened to tear it into ribbons.

My father did not move from his position against the wall, eyes closed and arms crossed. Perun had still not shown up, and I expected him to not do so. After all, who would want to listen to something that their wife would be going through in a matter of months?

But Perun never ceased to amaze me, and he lived it up today. He came down and heard a rather high-pitched scream, but he just blinked. He sat down next to me on the bench and just sat next to me without a word, a gesture of comfort or observing me for any signs of cracking. He just… sat there, and that was the most comfort that anyone could have ever given me at a time like this.

Before I knew it, the screaming stopped, and I heard the crying of a young soul.

My heart leapt, and so did my body. I was next to the door in a flash, my heart beating a mile a minute and my eyes wide, eager to see what was behind the door. My father chuckled, and Perun began to grin like the idiot that he was. Though I bet I looked pretty similar at the moment… I could hear my child from the other room!

Then she screamed again, and I frowned worriedly; what was going on? Then the crying came back, and I relaxed. Chihiro was fine. Perun looked at me in shock, and my father looked about as if he was going to laugh, and I just looked at them both like they were insane. What was so funny?

We both looked at the door when Rin poked her head out. "Father first. Come on in Haku."

I followed her inside and marveled at how clean this place was. Didn't a birth just happen here? I saw her go behind a curtain, and I could see the silhouette of someone lying on a bed. I was about to follow when Eve herself came out from behind the curtain and pointed me to a chair, her glare daring me to take a step toward the curtain. Apparently I still wasn't allowed to see her.

But before I could sit down, Rin came out carrying a small package, and my heart froze. Eve showed me how to hold my arms, and Rin gently placed my son in my arms.

It was… I don't know what it was. I felt as if I held my entire world in my arms, and the fact that this was my son, my child, caused my pride to swell. I was afraid to move, fearful that I would hurt this small one.

"Do we have a name?" Amaya asked softly, coming out from behind the curtain just as Rin disappeared.

"Chihiro said that you would give the name if it was a boy." Eve added just as quietly, the both of them waiting for my answer… my son's name.

I looked down at my tiny son, looking at his face with gentle care, and he slowly opened his eyes to look up at me. I half expected him to cry, seeing a stranger's face, but he didn't. He seemed to become even more relaxed and closed his eyes yet again, burying himself deep into the blue blanket. But I had seen his eyes.

They were Ariadne's eyes… green and silver.

My heart warmed, and I slowly walked over to the chair and sat down, a smile upon my face.

"Enlil. Lord of the Wind." I said softly, but I knew that I had been heard. Eve smiled, and came and lifted Enlil to have me cradle him with one arm. I gazed up at her, clearly not done looking at my son. She just smiled and took a small bundle from Amaya, pink this time, and placed it in my other arm. I nearly cried – I had twins.

"Chihiro named her," Rin said quietly, watching the three of us from the entrance to the curtained room. "Her name's Melusine."

But I didn't reply. I just held them close and closed my eyes, thanking the gods and fate for giving me this special gift. They let me be for a few minutes, and I gazed at my son and daughter in turn, and my heart melted when I saw Melusine's eyes. They were just as dark and blue as Perun's… as my mother's. I kissed her tiny forehead and felt a small shock ripple through me, and I nearly cried. I held life's precious gifts in my arms, and I was never going to let them go.

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Eve had taken my children away to let them get some sleep, and Rin ushered me in to see Chihiro. I went without a question, and moved the white curtain aside to see her lying under white sheets, her face tired yet proud… completely peaceful. I walked over, my long robe swishing. I hadn't even bothered to get fully dressed for a week or so – I had been too stressed. Just pants, an undershirt, and a long robe was good for me. Who knows what my hair and face looked like, but I'm pretty sure I didn't look that bad.

I sat down on the edge of the bed and placed my cool hand against her smooth cheek and smiled. "Chi…"

Her chocolate brown eyes fluttered open, and my heart was warmed by the degree of love pouring out of them. "Did you see them?"

"Yes." I replied, kissing her forehead just like I had Melusine's. "They're beautiful."

"What's our son's name?" She asked softly, reaching up to grab my hand and squeeze it tightly.

A proud smile came over my lips as I spoke his name. "Enlil."

"Enlil…" She echoed, tasting the name of it. She grinned up at me, kissing my knuckles. "I love it."

I heard a door open, and a soft voice echoed through out the room. "Haku? Can we come in?"

I frowned, poking my head out of the curtain to see my brother and father standing in the room, looking a bit uneasy. Actually, my father looked pretty calm – he has done this before. I smiled, bringing my head back inside to look at Chihiro. She nodded and I poked my head back out.

"Come on in."

* * *

**((Chihiro's POV))**

"Ah… congratulations Chihiro…" Perun said, coming over to give me a gentle hug around the shoulders.

"Thank you…" I replied, flashing him a grateful smile.

Kentoku was next, and he too gave me a gentle squeeze, but gave me a soft kiss on the forehead. "You're strong, my daughter." He said in a hushed whisper only I could hear. "I have yet to see, but I know that any child of yours is going to be beautiful." He added, a bit louder this time.

I knew Haku couldn't stop the grin that flashed across his face. "You mean children."

His father looked up at him and blinked, not understanding what his son had meant. "Pardon?"

"You have two grandchildren Dad." He said, "A boy and a girl."

I almost feared for Kentoku for a second. He seemed to sway on the spot and collapse to the floor. I laughed, "Haku, maybe you should be gentle about dropping the bombshell…"

Perun chuckled, shaking his head. "We have a bad habit of not doing that in this family."

Haku and Kentoku nodded in agreement, and I felt myself slowly becoming confused. But before I could hurt myself, I heard the crying of one of my children from the cradles near the bed. Kentoku turned in an instant and walked over to the cribs, looking down into the face of his grandson.

"Ah… I bet we're hungry…" He said to the little one, reaching in a plucking him out with a gentle care I didn't know he possessed. He carried him over and placed him in my arms. "What's his name?"

"Enlil." Haku replied, watching his father handle the little one with such care. No doubt he would be inquiring how he did it later.

"Very fitting…" Kentoku observed, smiling. "Especially with his eyes."

I looked up at my visitors, clearly aware that my son was hungry, but I had no intention of feeding him with them watching. It was just… too weird. Thank the gods Kentoku got the message and gave me a final kiss on the forehead before he pushed his youngest son out of the room.

Haku watched them leave and wandered over to the occupied crib as I let Enlil get some breakfast. He looked up and nearly jumped at the sight of us, and I just giggled.

"What, jealous?" I teased, and he flushed crimson, looking down to stare at his daughter.

"Your mother is teasing me Melusine… make her stop."

I laughed in response as I watched him and our youngest child. He put a hand inside the crib, and I assumed it was to offer his pinky to Melusine's tiny fist. When it didn't come out, I knew that she had it in a steel like grip. While he was stuck there, I had the opportunity of looking at him and really seeing him for him.

He had definitely changed since he first arrived back at the bathhouse. But how he changed was almost indescribable. One might say that he looked unkempt, but I can't imagine him any other way – he's perfect no matter what he looks like. His shoulder length hair is much longer now, rivaling even Kentoku's. It's like green silk cascading down broad shoulders, tied back with one of my hair ties. A few strands were coming loose and hung around his face like curved strings on a harp. His face was harder now because of the war, but softened when he looked upon any of us, and never became the mask that resembled him when he was fighting. I think that he even grew, he's much taller than me now – we used to be almost eye level. He towers like his father, and his wide, strong shoulders carry a weight that I could never carry. Attached to those broad shoulders are arms that look like they belong on a champion fighter… not on my future husband. They protect me, yet I feel a little nervous looking at them now. I know that they can snap someone like a twig… with so little effort. But his hands… his hands were very gentle, especially when tracing the features of his daughter. They're strong when they hold me, but they're like a feather's touch against my skin. Haku seems more… put together now, like he's almost wiser.

Suddenly, my eyes widened. This was the Haku that I saw in his mental river so many months ago… he was here.

And he was mine.

* * *

A/N: Oh please don't hurt me. By the time I get around to typing up another chapter, I realize that I haven't even updated for a month. You guys, I really am sorry. This was NOT my idea of fun, and I assure you that I LOATHE updating like this. I would love to update once every week or so, but with highschool I'm slowly coming to realize that it just isn't going to happen. So, stay with me and hopefully we'll all get through this... 

**medevil charmed  
...  
Sailor-Kagome  
annoying-little-girl  
Priestess Kohana  
mistress of mist  
44thDreamMaster  
Mushrambolover  
StrugglingArtist  
White Dragon 01  
XxLil-AngelxX  
Lillix Vail**

Thank you all so much for being dedicated readers, and hopefully I'll be a more dedicated writer and updater!

_-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-_


	35. The Song Is You

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 35  
**_The Song Is You_

* * *

**((Kentoku's POV))**

The smacking and whistling of spinning staffs soon became music to my ears over the many week of peace. The faint herbal scent left in the wake of mahogany tresses soon became my favorite smell. The gentle beacon of happiness shone whenever a smile appeared, and my skin would shiver in delight, my heart beginning to race. It was almost frightening what that pair of gray jewels can make me do, say, and think. Rin had successfully claimed all of me, body and soul.

I was not one to come out and express myself, and I certainly was not comfortable with professing my devotion and love for anyone. The true depth of my feelings was inexpressible, especially by mere spoken words. I knew that I probably should ask for some… advice… before I messed up.

Fortunately, I did not have to go ask for help – the help came charging in.

: - : - : - : -: - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : -: - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - :

"Kentoku?" Eve called.

I looked up from my report and smiled briefly. "Can I help you?"

"I was just wondering…" She drawled, taking a seat, "What you are going to do about Rin."

I could not stop the alarmed look from crossing over my face. "I beg your pardon?"

She just laughed. "What are you planning to do? It is so very clear that you two like each other, and Rin is the kind of woman that would rather do anything and make the first move. So that leaves it up to you!"

"And you tell me all of this with a smile on your face?"

"Exactly!" She cried happily, her grin nearly splitting her face. I wondered where this woman got all of her constant energy. "After all, I am not in your shoes!"

"At least my shoes are closer to the finish line." I muttered.

Jade eyes narrowed. "What did you say?"

I flashed her a smile, "Nothing." My face grew serious when she did not leave. "You are going to help me whether I want you to or not." I said, my voice flat.

"Pretty much." She replied, standing up and putting her hands flat on my desk so she could loom over me and look me dead in the eye. "Are you going to cooperate?"

I closed my eyes and sighed, knowing that I was going to receive her "help" no matter what I decided to tell her. I stopped – an idea, and unexpected one, had just popped into my head. With this, I knew that my point would get across to Rin… and Eve would just love to help.

"Eve, I have an idea."

"Yes!" She cried, sitting down with a grin. "I knew that you would give up at some point!"

I shot her a quick glare, which she smiled at, and I soon got down to explaining everything. Once I was done, she starred at me in shock. "You have to be joking. You want to serenade her?" When I did not respond, she began to laugh. "Kentoku, that is the best thing that we could have ever come up with! Your voice is to die for!"

I shook my head with a smile, knowing that she was giving me entirely too much credit, but secretly pleased. If it came from her, then it had to be true. I was lucky to have a sister like Eve. I watched her mumble to herself, no doubt picking a song, and I slowly realized why Basir and Felix were fighting over her.

She was not a tall person – she could easily fit under my arm. With a round face and almond shaped eyes, she looked every inch of a blissfully innocent being. But her emerald eyes held the power of knowledge, and her shoulders were carrying the heavy burden of responsibility that came with that it. They remained square and sturdy, never faltering with her bright outlook on everything around her. I could see how Felix found her attractive with all of her curves, and I could see how Basir loved everything. Now more than ever, I wanted one of them to speak up and end this _very_ obvious love triangle, once and for all.

"Kentoku, are you listening to me?"

I blinked, "No, I am sorry, what did you say?"

"What are you singing?" She repeated, rolling her eyes. "I cannot think of a thing. Any ideas?"

I shifted nervously.

A devilish grin spread across her face. "You wrote something."

I shifted again.

"Let me see it."

I happened to notice that I was sitting in a very uncomfortable chair. How I had not noticed before-

"Damn it, Kentoku, **let me see it**!"

Her last four words were strong and loud, her hand out toward me, waiting for the paper. I sighed; this was another battle I was destined to lose. I opened a drawer of my desk and hesitantly handed it to her. She snatched it away quickly before I could decide to hide it again. Her eyes scanned the page quickly as I starred nervously at the top of my desk. Writing things was never my strong suit, but I had been very bored and nothing was holding my interest for long except the thought of Rin. I am one massive mess.

She finished reading and set it down on the edge of my desk and waved her hand, her small harp appearing in front of her. The faint and entrancing sounds of those well-worn strings enveloped my office, and I could hear her soul humming along with the tune she was creating. I watched her in almost fascination as she played, for this never became old and mundane for me. Each time was something new, a new adventure, and a new story. She stopped suddenly, and I blinked, somewhat annoyed that the soothing notes had faded.

Eve's eyes were slightly wet, and I immediately leaned forward, my eyes concerned. "It's beautiful." She told me.

I frowned, clearly confused about the entire thing. "Excuse me?"

"What you wrote. It's beautiful." She repeated, a smile coming across her face. "Give me some time and I will have some music to go along with this."

I starred at her, aghast. "Are… are you serious?"

She rolled her eyes, completely recovered from her touched state of mind. "No Kentoku, I'm leading you on. Of course I'm serious!"

For some reason… I did not feel so sure about this anymore.

* * *

**((Rin's POV))**

This was getting to the point where I could barely stand it. What was up with Kentoku? For the past few days, he's been extremely edgy and won't even talk to me. He hasn't shown up for our nightly spars… and I'll admit that I'm beginning to worry. Does he not… care for me anymore? As much as I hate to admit it, the thought scares, no, _terrifies_ me. I groaned as I sank to my knees, leaning against the tub that I had been cleaning. Even though I no longer worked for Yubaba, old habits died hard. After all, these warriors needed to bathe sometime. There was never a shortage of things to do, that was for sure.

I heard a voice calling my name, and I frowned. I stood up, my head just peaking up over the rim of the tub. I frowned, "Eve?"

She smiled, running up to the tub and gesturing for me to get out. "Come on, I have something to show you!"

"What is it?" I asked, climbing out of the tub.

"Just come with me!" She said, a delighted smile on her face. When I didn't move, she rolled her eyes (I swear she does that _all_ the time) and grabbed my wrist, hauling me out of the baths.

"Where… are we going?"

"You'll see! It's in our room!" She cackled happily, dragging me toward the elevator.

That elevator ride up to our room was positively the most awkward thing imaginable. Eve was grinning the entire way and obviously trying to keep herself from spilling the beans right then and there. As for me, I was looking at her as if she was insane. But as the elevator climbed, I began to share in her excitement. What awaited me? Why were we headed toward our room anyway? Once the elevator opened, Eve grabbed me by the wrist and ran down the hall – as if she needed to pull me. The adrenaline was running through my veins, and I knew that whatever this was had to be huge. We slid to a halt in front of our room, and she opened the door, ushering me onto the balcony.

I looked at her in confusion, wasn't my surprise been **in** the room? Why was I out here? I was going to voice my questions but she just shook her head, her face lit by her famous grin. "Just stay here. You'll figure it out _very_ quickly."

I stood on our balcony, completely mystified. All was silent except for the soft crashing of the waves and the gentle wind whistling past the bathhouse. No steam rose from the boilers today, and the sounds of people working were just like faint memories of the past. I sighed, leaning my hands on the railing. As I looked out over the sea, I realized that I had almost forgotten the beauty of this place.

The gardens had flourished now that time was available to tend to them. Their numerous bright colors waved and bobbed in the wind like ripples of sunbursts. The breeze began to grow stronger, and a faint sound of music reached my ears. It was slow and melodic, almost sounding like a piano… or a harp…

I was looking around for the source of it when I heard the sound of humming. It was deep and strong, and I shook my head to clear it. Who was humming? Before I knew it, I was completely relaxed and I slowly sat down, leaning my back against the red wall of the bathhouse. The humming grew louder as the wind increased, and the sound of faint singing enveloped me.

I furrowed my brow, not recognizing the voice that sung for me. I knew it was for me, I just knew it… I could feel it. I could almost hear the love that was pouring through that voice. It almost scared me, but I clung to the hope that it was true.

* * *

**((Kentoku's POV))**

As the wind surged, I let my voice carry out through it, my voice floating down to Rin only a floor below me. I sat on the roof above her head and she was completely unaware, entranced by the sounds of the wind. My stomach flipped, now was the time. Now was the moment of truth, the moment that I was going to fully admit it:

I was in love.

_**I hear music when I look at you  
A beautiful theme of every dream I ever knew  
Down deep in my heart, I hear it play  
I can feel it start, then it melts away**_

Every time I looked at her, I could envision her laugh, the sound of her almost noiseless walk across the hardwood floor, the way her staff whizzed through the air to knock me down. I did not hear my back hit the floor, I never did. Instead I heard the way her voice rose when she asked her question, and the answer that my lips formed never registered in my mind, only her victorious laugh.

My heart beats the same way every time, a steady beat and tempo, creating a song. The way that it pulsed through my body was something I had never experienced before, and it thrilled me. At first I was wary, unsure, but now I leaped into the song every time.

Whenever I looked at her, the song in my heart would begin, and it would spread throughout my entire body, affecting my thoughts. It constantly pursued me, never leaving me alone for a second. After a while, I thrived on it, willing it to take over my senses every time she came into the room.

But the pain I felt every time she left was almost unbearable. I always wanted to grab her, pull her back toward me so the song would keep playing. Yet I managed to stay still, watching her leave without a thought of what she was doing to me with every step she took.

_**I hear music when I touch your hand  
A beautiful melody from some enchanted land  
Down deep in my heart, I hear it say  
"Is this the day?"**_

When I mustered up the courage to reach for her, my skin would always feel shots of fire race up my arm, and my heart would beat in time. The feel of her smooth hand locked with mine slowed my fevered heart down, only to race again when she gave it a reassuring squeeze.

The smile she would always give me would halt the song, and her laugh would only ignite it. A few calm words from her lips could send my foulest tempers into oblivion, and could bring me back from the brink of disaster. Her sigh after a practice was like heaven was giving me a taste of the bells they rang. She seemed to sigh, as if wondering I would finally say it.

My heart agreed with her. It questioned me endlessly, beating fiercely to make its preference known. It wanted to spill everything and let her know just how important she was. But my lips only formed a goodbye or good night, leaving my heart's desire unfulfilled.

_**I alone have heard this lovely strain  
**__**I alone have heard this glad refrain  
**__**Must it be forever inside of me?  
**_**_Why can't I let it go?  
__Why can't I let you know?_**

I racked my brain and tested my heart, wondering why the two would not connect. Why did they refuse to work together and achieve the only thing that I wanted from life? Why could I not say the words that I wanted to say, but leave them unspoken? I thought about it endlessly, letting the topic keep me up for hours on end. In the end, I came up with the simplest answer:

Rejection.

My heart did not want to, nor could it take, rejection. I was afraid that my heart was the only one that heard and felt this song, this race. I am afraid that is only I that feels this way, and that she just saw me as someone who would only take a place on her wall of triumphs. The thought was ridiculous; after all, this was **Rin**. But it did not matter, my brain, and a part of my heart, did not want to chance it.

I want to say something, everything, anything that will tell her just how I feel. I know that I am being held back for the most selfish of reasons, and the most idiotic, but that obstacle is there no matter how hard I try. Perhaps it is the feeling of not knowing, not knowing if I will be met halfway, or not being caught in my fall headlong into something I do not know.

_**Why can't I let you know the song my heart would sing?  
**__**Beautiful rhapsody of love and youth and spring  
**_**_The music is sweet, and the words are true  
__The song is you_**

No matter how hard I tried, I could not force myself to say the words. Nothing came from my lips, ever, never the words I wanted spoken. I was a coward, through and through. Being unable to voice my feelings was something I took personal, and prayed that soon I would find the courage within myself to say something... anything.

But every time I looked at her, or anytime I saw a sparkle of gray or a wisp of brown locks, my heart would forget about my shame and just revel in the sound that my heart made. I am unsure if she ever heard it, and I was afraid that she did not know exactly what it meant for her. I loved her; there was nothing stronger than that, not in this world.

I have never felt this feeling, but I know it is true, that it is real. She is the reason that I feel like this, and I will forever remember that. I let my last note fade on the wind, standing up from my perch on the roof. I jumped down, letting the wind guide my feet to balance on the railing of her balcony.

Her gasp of surprise sent my heart beating into its steady rhythm, and my soul rose with the wind. She knew now that it was I, and now she knew just how I felt. Her eyes were wide and shocked, her hand over her open mouth. Her chest heaved from her leap to her feet, and she had never looked more beautiful to me then at that moment.

It seemed that right then, I knew everything. I had said the words I wanted to say, and they were mine alone, not someone else's. My voice was now a whisper that the wind had died down, and I gently stepped down, walking toward her and taking her hands in mine.

_**Why can't I let you know the song my heart would sing?  
**__**That beautiful rhapsody of love and youth and spring  
**__**The music is sweet, and the words are true  
**__**The song is you**_

I did not have a chance to speak after that. Rin threw her arms around me, crying her heart out. I slowly wrapped my arms around her waist, holding her gently. But once I felt her arms tightened around my neck, my own became steel and crushed her to me, burying my face in her long hair. Her fingers played with mine, and it sent my heart beating faster than it ever had before. I moved my head so it rested on her shoulder, my lips just mere centimeters from her ear. I took in a deep breath, reaching into my soul to pull out the words that I felt.

"Rin… I love you."

The words were faint and raspy, my voice spent from my singing. But she stiffened in my embrace, and my heart slowly began to rip. I was falling, and I had yet to be caught. The fear was gripping me, and I prayed that it would end. She looked up at me, her gray eyes overflowing with tears, and a beaming smile came across her face. I almost died in relief, the sensation washing over me. I had not been caught quite yet, but the fall was definitely less frightening now than it had been before.

"I love you too, Kentoku."

Her gentle and strong voice sent me over the edge, and I bent my head, gripping her hips as my shoulders began to shake. She touched my chest nervously, craning her neck to see my face, wondering what had happened to me.

Tears of relief washed down my face, utterly at peace. She loved me. That was it. She loved me. I was no longer alone anymore. The mere thought of it would have sent me reeling, but it was here… it was true. I could not stop it; the knowledge was a relief and a burden, weighing me down with the overwhelming feeling of compassion. She touched my face, and I just pulled her closer, crying into her hair. She would not have it, she wanted to see my face, my eyes… anything.

I pulled back for her, but only for a second before my hands gripped her face and pulled her lips towards mine as I kissed her with everything I had. She melted into me, and she could finally feel my heart. As I pulled her against me, I could feel hers as well.

Now they beat as one.

* * *

A/N: Yay, sweet RinxKentoku stuff so they're out of the way. NOW we get into more HakuxChihiro, I promise, and more plot. xD Aren't you all so happy! ((dances)) Now, the song... I was being VERY picky about the song I was going to use. I cannot believe that I was being so darn stubborn about having it perfect, which I sadly admit that I have really never done before... O.o This time I put a whole lot of thought into it, and this is what I came up with!

**The Song Is You by Frank Sinatra!**

Yes, I know, but get over it. I downloaded it and was sad to hear that it was a lively and upbeat song, but I just said, "Screw it, it's gonna be slow here!" And that is that. Here it is slow. ((lol))

Well, this is your "Happy New Year!" present because I couldn't crank it out before Christmas. So, hope you all had a good New Years, and a very wonderful Christmas! I know I did! ((dances with new cell phone))

**MY NEW YEARS RESOLUTION:**

TO UPDATE FASTER.  
- I am dead serious. No doubt you are all dancing in your seats at the thought. xD

Now, thank you to everyone who reviewed, and I'm so happy that you all are sticking with me through my slow updates!

**Creation of a Dream  
StrugglingArtist  
firefarire93  
Priestess Kohana  
annoying-little-girl  
Lillix Vail  
XxLil-AngelxX  
Kataan  
mistress of mist  
Arashi of the Red Scarf  
White Dragon 01  
Mushrambolover  
NekoLuvsYou!!!  
laramary**

Thank you guys so much, your reviews mean so much to me! xD


	36. Faces In The Dark

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 36**

_Faces In The Dark_

**Ten.

* * *

**

**((Perun's POV))**

I felt like laughing at Haku when Chihiro was so close to her due date. Him pacing somewhere with a stern face was an every day habit of his, one that I never failed to tease him about. Sadly, I did not heed the famous saying, "what goes around comes around".

Now it's Amaya's turn to be in the hospital bed, four months later. Haku has the whole father thing down, and now I'm going to be going through the same thing. Suddenly, I wonder if I can even do it. I'm better at some things, and my brother's better at others. I guess that I don't want to parenting to be one of them. I want to be able to do it right – I don't want to mess up somehow. But I can't even begin to describe how great Haku really is. I have been pacing restlessly for the past few weeks, and he hasn't laughed at me once. Instead, he has helped me keep my sanity. But half of the reason I was losing it was because of him. Wouldn't he want to get his revenge on me? When I could no longer take it, I asked.

"Haku?" I whispered, poking my head into his and Chihiro's quarters. I looked around and spotted him sitting on the couch reading a book. "Hey, psst!" When he didn't respond, I glared at the back of his head. "Kohaku!" I hissed.

He marked his page and looked up, turning his head to see me in the doorway. He smiled, setting his book down and waved me over. I shut the door behind me and walked toward the couch to sit down next to him. "Is something wrong?" He asked, folding his hands in his lap.

For a moment, I couldn't help but look at him. When I first saw him, he looked just like me. But now… now we were two entirely different people. His hair was really long now, and his stern and serious face had melted away to reveal a clam and gentle one. Yet the strength and determination remained. How I envied him sometimes. I find myself wondering if I'll ever be like him, but I shoved those thoughts from my head when his eyes frowned, wondering if I was all there.

I cleared my throat, letting my hands hang between my knees as I looked down at the ground. "Do you remember when I used to give you a hard time about worrying when Chihiro was in the hospital wing for the birth?"

Haku chuckled, "Yes, I do. Why?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. It had grown out a bit as well, but it never reached past my shoulder blades. That was too much work. "I was… I was just wondering why you never teased me about it. No doubt I'm a huge mess-"

"Well, one, I do not find teasing you about that amusing." Haku said, his eyes serious. I instantly felt bad, and realized just how much of a jerk I had probably been. He put a hand on my shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "But I thank you for doing it to me."

I looked up at him in surprise, blinking. "Huh?"

"Teasing and joking is your way of making things less tense and more tolerable," he explained. "You making cracks about how worried I was made me stop and think, and ultimately realize that I was worrying too much. So I would relax only to stress out even more, which only led you to do it again and repeat the process."

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't help but not stare at him in absolute shock. I had been… helping? Now _that_ was twisted.

Going on, I focused my attention back on my brother's words. "I guess the only reason that I do not get onto your case about worrying is because that is not how I help. I try to get you to relax without teasing you, offering to take a walk with you and talk about absolutely nothing, or play a game of cards." My older brother shrugged. "They are not as effective as teasing, that I will admit, but I am not exactly a champion in that department."

"So… let me get this straight," I repeated, holding up a hand. "You don't tease me about becoming a nervous wreck because you don't find it funny and you don't know how to tease me and actually make me feel better?"

"Pretty much." Haku laughed, standing up, his robes falling into place. It was odd to see him like that – in pants and an over robe. I was slowly beginning to wonder if I would ever see the brother that wore tunics and boots with a sword at his waist ever again. He opened his mouth again, and I looked up to pay attention. "I also have been there. I know how stressful it is, and now I know what I would have liked someone to do while I was going through that."

I nodded, standing up. "That makes sense."

He gave me a nod, pausing, and frowned. "Is that all?"

I shuffled nervously, running a hand through my hair. "Yeah, that's pretty much it."

Haku looked about ready to argue with me when a baby's cry was heard from the next room. My older brother grimaced, grumbled, and looked as if he wanted to just die. "That wasn't an hour…" He whined, turning around to go into the nursery. Chihiro came out of the bedroom, somewhat surprised to see me there. She gave me a passing smile as she walked into her children's room, picking up the other baby that had woken up.

"You're hungry, you're hungry, I get it…" She laughed, picking up Enlil and sitting down in a rocking chair. "Haku? Can you watch Melusine until I'm done?"

"Not a problem." He replied, giving her a smile as he picked up his daughter, shut the door behind him, and came to sit back down on the couch. I sat next to him, watching my niece with a smile on my face. After a few minutes, Haku looked up at me with a strange look on his face. "Do you want to hold her?" I must have looked completely taken aback because he laughed at me. "You should practice you know. You _are_ going to have a child of your own in a few days."

My stomach did a few flips. "Oh please don't remind me."

He just laughed again, showing me how to position my arms and put my niece into my embrace. She was surprisingly light, but I knew that it would change in about five or ten minutes. I held her for a while, looking down into her still sleepy face, an unfamiliar hand gripping and tugging at my heart. It was then I realized how excited I really was, and how much I really wanted to have my own daughter.

I did not want a son. I wanted a daughter.

One that I could pamper and treat like a princess, one that would run to me and hide in my chest when she was frightened. I wanted Amaya to be able to talk to her daughter no matter how much time passed and they aged. I wanted a son eventually, but not right now. Melusine blinked up at me and gave me a tiny smile that instantly melted my heart. A daughter for me, there was no question about it.

Suddenly, Kentoku burst into the room. His face was drawn, and his eyes were strained. Haku and I instantly jumped up, Melusine still in my arms. Our father's eyes looked at the three of us, and his face seemed to fall. "It's time."

My face went whiter than his, and Haku instantly took his daughter out of my arms. "Someone needs you." He whispered.

But for some reason, I couldn't tear my eyes away from my father's face. "Is something wrong?" I asked, my voice a cracked whisper.

His blue and violet eyes turned sad, and they closed. "We are not sure. I am not an expert, though Rin came out to tell me to come and get you. She did not tell me any details."

Translation: something was wrong.

Something was wrong with Amaya.

* * *

I burst into the waiting room and Felix and Basir sat there, starring at the floor. My father, Chihiro, Haku, and I walked into the room and they all sat down, Chihiro continued to feed Enlil, who was not happy about his meal being interrupted. Haku had Melusine, and my father gestured to the door, telling me to go in. But that was about the last thing I wanted to do. There was no sound coming from the other side this time, not like when Chihiro was delivering. I was scared… I was frightened beyond all comprehension. I didn't want to know what was going on behind that door; it could stay on that side as long as it wanted to. But the news came out and greeted me.

Rin stepped out of the room, holding a small bundle. "Here. Your daughter." She said softly.

The news that I had a daughter didn't really reach my ears and delight me like I hoped it would. I held her close, my face drawn. What was no one telling me? It seemed that everyone but me knew the truth. I looked up at Rin, my eyes pleading. "Amaya?"

Rin flinched, looking away. "I… I'm sorry. She… she's barely hanging on."

I blanched, taking a step back, my arms beginning to shake. Kentoku immediately put a hand on my shoulder and took his third grandchild from my arms and nodded to Rin. She stepped aside, allowing me access to the delivery room. I dashed inside, praying with every fiber of my body that it wasn't too late.

Amaya would never let something like childbirth kill her. She wanted to either die in battle or pass away next to me in a warm bed. She had told me that before, and she swore that it was going to be one of those. Never childbirth, not when she had just allowed me to see my first child.

I flung back the curtain blocking her from the rest of the room and my heart stopped beating. Her eyes were closed, her breathing was shallow, and her skin was whiter than chalk. I hesitantly approached the bed, tears pouring down my face. I grabbed her hand, placing kisses all over her face, whispering her name like a mantra. I couldn't feel anymore. I moved without thinking, without really absorbing or remembering anything I said or did.

When her eyes fluttered open weakly, I fell to my knees and gripped her hand tightly. "Amaya… please, hold on… you have to see our daughter…"

She turned her head to offer me a weak smile. "I have seen her. She's beautiful. I know that she'll be just like you… I can feel it. Take… take care of her, please? She'll need it."

"Stop talking like that." A harsh voice spat, ripping back the curtains. Eve walked in with her green eyes furious, standing on the other side of my wife. "Do you honestly wish to give up? Do you want to leave your husband and daughter behind?"

Amaya's eyes closed painfully, and a few tears leaked out of her beautiful maroon eyes. "No…" She whispered.

"Then why do you? Why you let yourself fall to a place where no one can bring you back?"

"I'm… tired…"

"Oh you are pathetic."

I jumped up to my feet, almost lunging over the bed to grab Eve's neck. "Shut up! What are you doing? You're not helping Eve!"

"Of course I'm not helping!" She retorted, "I have to remind her just how important she is to everyone here! I can't help her unless she wants me to!"

"Just leave! You're not helping! You're making things worse!"

A cool grip covered my arms, pulling me back away from the bed. "And you are doing the exact same thing, my son."

"Let me go!" I cried, struggling valiantly against my father's grip.

"No." He replied, "Eve is going to heal her."

Rin gasped from his right, holding my daughter. "Heal? Kentoku, she's hanging by a thread…"

"A thread." Eve repeated, green eyes looking up at us. "That is all I need. That means that there is still something there." She closed her eyes, and the room began to sing. I stopped struggling, my eyes widening in shock.

Eve's clothes began to ripple in an unfelt wind, and her body began to shine. Her hair danced around her face, and her eyes slowly opened. The green irises were gone, and instead were glowing holes of light. She raised her hands above my barely conscious wife and began to chant.

The sound of her soft mantra ricocheted off of the walls, sending its occupants stumbling. Amaya gasped, her eyes wider than mine. Her back arched off the bed, and I growled, trying to make a move forward, but Kentoku held me back. With what happened next, I didn't need a reminder.

A dark shadow appeared at the foot of Amaya's bed, a long and snakelike hand reaching for her heart. But a golden fire erupted above her, sending the black shadow screeching and reeling back, stumbling away from its enemy. Eve took a step toward it, her body glowing, and the fire behind her increasing. The shadow vanished, and it began to take on another form. This time, white eyes glared at the red haired woman before it, and Eve's temper flared.

"SHE IS NOT YOURS TO TAKE!" Her voice roared, causing everything in the room to shake. The black form left in a blink of an eye, and the fire above Amaya died. She was unharmed, her breathing steadier, dark eyes closed. Eve seemed to calm down a bit, and Kentoku let out a relieved sigh.

"It has passed. Death has come and gone." He whispered, squeezing my shoulders. My head jerked around to look at him in horror. Death? That… thing… was death? He understood my look and shook his head. "Just a minion. Death himself is far too busy to collect every soul. He rarely visits our world – few spirits ever die. So he sends his creatures."

I nodded slowly, looking back at Amaya. She looked a lot healthier now, and my heart finally began to unclench. I took about two steps forward before Eve's voice stopped me. "I am not done."

Kentoku hissed. "Yes you are. You are beyond exhausted. Everyone can see it."

"She is weak-"

"She is strong!" Kentoku roared, shaking his head. "You are to leave and rest Eve, do you understand? You cannot fight off Death every time it comes and save every person you defend! You must let Fate have a chance to play!"

"Fate cheats." Eve hissed, raising a hand over Amaya's heart. A cascade of notes filled the room, and Amaya's own body began to glow with Eve's. Her lips began to move, but no sound came out.

As Eve's silent song continued, the color in Amaya's cheeks came back, and her eyes eventually opened. Her maroon eyes were back to normal, alight with life and spunk. I feel to my knees, tears running down my face as I put my hands on the floor and tucked my chin to my chest. She was safe, she was alive – that's all that mattered.

The ethereal sounds of Eve's singing faded, and the room went down to a tolerable light level. I stumbled to my feet and caught myself on the edge of her bed, Amaya's arms flashing up to wrap around my shoulders. Her face buried itself in the crook of my neck, and I managed to sit down on the edge of her bed before I collapsed with relief. I could feel her tears against my skin, and I was pretty sure she could feel my shoulders shaking with the effort of keeping my own contained.

Rin came forward and touched my back, and I sat up, turning around to face her, and laughed when she placed my daughter in my arms. I immediately gave her to Amaya, knowing that she hadn't held her yet. She cooed over her, tears of happiness shinning in her eyes. I watched the both of them in utter happiness, and touched her cheek.

She looked up at me, a grin splitting her face. "You have a name, don't you? I know you do…" She teased.

I laughed, kissing her cheek, and then her lips. "I do. Sayuri. My Sayuri."

* * *

**((Kentoku's POV))**

I did not bother to voice my anger when Eve began to help. If there was one thing that I knew I should not do, it was get in the way when she was dead set on doing something. This, sadly, was one of those times.

I did not watch as Perun reunited with Amaya. Instead, I dashed around the side of the bed and caught Eve before she hit the ground. Her eyes were struggling to stay open, and I felt like cursing right then and there. I swear my sister did not know any self-control when it came to things like this.

I helped her out of the ward, and Haku stood with an arm around Chihiro, face somewhat relaxed now. I could tell that he wanted to ask me what had happened, but I think that he could piece it together when he saw his aunt clinging to me so she would not fall into a heap at my feet. "Do you know where Felix and Basir went?" I asked, knowing that their rooms were close by. There was no way in the world Eve was going to make it all the way back to the second to top floor, and I damn well refused to carry her. Besides, her staying with them just might fix this entire issue between the three of them for good.

"They left to go calm down the bathhouse after the earthquakes started." Haku explained, and I managed to glare down at my sister. While I was grateful for what she did, she had to learn how to watch herself. She looked up at me and glared back, which I sighed and looked away. It was no use fighting with her at this point.

"Thank you." I replied, making my way toward the brothers' rooms. Along the way, I decided to keep Eve talking to make sure that she did not pass out on me. But before I could even open my mouth, she sighed and began to speak.

"I'm sorry."

I blinked – that was quick. "For what?"

"For worrying you like that, and not thinking. I know you hate that."

I sighed. "Yes, I do, but I know why you did it. I just wish that you would think sometimes before you do such things. You cannot keep doing this forever. At some point you will have to admit that you have limits."

"I know," She replied, "I couldn't fully heal her without killing myself. She'll be bed ridden for at least a week. Coming back after going so far is extremely hard on the body."

"And the healer." I said tersely, looking down at my sister. She truly did seem apologetic about the entire thing, and I began to wonder why I was really upset with her in the first place. Now that I had approached that topic, I knew that it would not leave me alone unless I thought about it.

Maybe I was afraid that she would be permanently injured from her extreme use of magic, or perhaps it was because I wanted her to take care of herself, or…

The more I thought about it, the clearer it became: I did not want anything to happen to her. I did not want to lose her like I thought I had during the first war. It would be absolutely unbearable for me. I could barely stand Lavanya's passing, and having my sons taken away from me on top of that was the worst kind of hell I could have ever been placed in. Thinking that Eve was dead was just the prison bars around my soul. I hugged her close, leaning my head down to rest on top of hers, stopping for a moment to just hold her.

I never had any affectionate older brother moments with her– we were never like that. But occasionally, I would do it just to let her know that I cared. While that applied, I wanted to let her know just how important she was. She in turn sighed, leaning her head on my chest while she weakly hugged my waist. I pressed her face into my shoulder and wrapped one of my arms securely around her back and spoke.

"Please… do not scare me like that again."

She nodded, tightening her hold on my shirt. "You know, I really do like it when you give me a hug every now and then. You have a really strong hold."

I cleared my throat, letting her go, thinking I had been squeezing her a bit too hard. "Ah, I am sorry, Eve."

But she just laughed. "Silly boy!" I frowned, but she just shook her head, leaning against me heavily. "Hey… can I lie down so the world stops spinning?"

"Of course. But Eve, why did you so desperately want to help Amaya?" I asked, slipping an arm about her waist again.

My sister sighed, "She's so strong. I guess that I'm afraid that Perun would be like you after Lavanya died. The thought scared me so bad that I knew that I had to do something. I couldn't stand by and watch."

"Even though your powers are not meant to heal, you do it anyway…" A voice commented, followed by a bark of laughter. "I bow down to your talents, Eve."

"Oh shut up, Felix." She retorted, rolling her eyes.

The brothers came around the corner, and each of them looked at her in concern. "Hey, do you need a place to sleep for a while?"

I nodded, handing her off to them. "She does. She is a little woozy from her spell, so just make a pallet for her in your rooms. I need to get back and make sure that everything is running smoothly."

"Yeah, not a problem," Basir assured me, putting one of Eve's arms around his shoulder. Felix did the same, each of them putting a supportive arm around her waist. "We'll inform you if anything happens."

* * *

**((Basir's POV))**

I was going to kill him. Plain and simple. I hoped that Rin would understand. Even if she didn't, I was going to kill him. I swear that man knows exactly how to drive me nuts. Leaving Eve with me to take care of her, and asking Felix to do the same was just about as fun as cleaning out pigpens. I was **so** going to kill him.

The tension between the three of us was extremely noticeable, so trust that Felix wouldn't know about it. But I could tell that Eve could feel it, because she didn't know whom to lean on for support. She didn't want to make either of us upset. This is just great – definitely what I needed after a night of assuring everyone that the earthquakes weren't threatening. _That_ was like talking to the pigs themselves.

No one said a word was we walked back to the room, and once we finally got there, Felix went in, naturally, to set up a pallet for her like I knew he would. He finished and helped me get her in and we laid her down, putting a warm blanket over her. She was out cold all right – she'd been a dead weight for almost five minutes. We weren't all that worried since this wasn't the first time we've carried her somewhere.

The fact that she wasn't aware of anything was great – I was free to look as I pleased. My gaze stayed on her face, indifferent to the rest of her body at the moment. Her face was drawn and pale, seeing as she had clearly outdone herself this time. Her full mouth was slightly open; her usually red lips a faint pink. The hair around her face was slightly damp, especially at the roots. She had a few strands of hair stuck to her cheek, so I reached out to brush them away. But my fingers never felt the smooth silk of her skin – Felix's did. He was the one that had actually reached out. I looked up at his face, which supported a triumphant grin.

"I can feel it…" He whispered to me, his eyes still on Eve's sleeping face, "She'll crumble soon, and I'll be the one to catch her."

I blinked, "What?"

Felix turned to look at me with a smirk and stood up. "I'm going to confess my love for her." He said simply.

My eyes remained on the ground. "You mean infatuation." I muttered darkly.

His keen ears picked up my response. Now he was angry, which I was expecting. "What are you talking about?" He asked, "Of course I love her!"

My temper flared. I wanted to shout at him, prove to him that he was the world's biggest liar. He didn't love Eve – I did.

He knew nothing that she liked, nothing she talked about, nothing that made her laugh. He never took the time to get to know her and see who she really was.

But I had.

I wasn't going to let him, I _refused_ to let him believe something that was obviously a blatant lie, something he was incapable of doing.

"You think you love her," I whispered. I had been mentally preparing for this conversation – I was ready. "You think you love her, but you don't. I see the way you look at her, and it's not with love, but it's with lust and want. You say you love every woman that you bring into your bed, but you lie every time. When you've had your fun, you throw them away like dirty rags. Eve deserves so much more than that – she can do **much** better than the likes of you."

Felix gawked at me for a few seconds; he hadn't been expecting that. When he finally got his brain back on track, he gave me a look of pure shock and fury. "How can you say such things?"

I stood up as well, meeting his gaze. "I tell you only the truth, even though you do not wish to hear it. I will not stand by and watch Eve be hurt."

"You won't!" He cried, gesturing wildly. "I would never dream of hurting her! I love her!"

"No you do not!" I roared, meeting his volume, finally throwing all civilized emotions and thoughts to the wind. "You do not love her! Not the way that I do!"

Absolute silence filled the room. It was unbelievably thick and tense, far greater than I ever imagined it to be. It seemed to fill a rift between us, making us further and further apart. Soon I felt like I had almost no relation to the man that stood mere inches in front of me. His eyes were wide in shock, his mouth agape. He took a stumbling step back as if I had slapped him.

"I don't believe it," He breathed, "I refuse…"

"You should start. He's right."

The both of us looked to the side, and our faces paled. When Eve had woken up was a mystery to us, but it didn't matter. She was fully conscious and alert, standing on her pallet, the blanket in a pile at her feet. Her face was still pale, but her eyes were like steel. Her voice was soft and slow as if she was explaining the most obvious thing to a child. "Felix," she began, her tone giving no warmth to his name, "I think that you fail to see what is right in before your eyes – the truth. I do not love you like you seem to believe. I never have. I look up to you like another older brother, someone who likes to have fun. I am very sorry if any of my actions have led you to believe otherwise."

"You must be joking!" Felix cried, his face pained, "You can't just wake up and deny me everything!"

"I am not waking up. I have been awake for the past five minutes. I did not faint; I was just merely so tired that I could barely keep my eyes open. I did hold myself up when you were setting up a bed for me. But that is beside the point." She took a few steps forward, and caught herself on my left shoulder. I placed a hand on her waist on instinct, and she stepped into it, leaning heavily against me. "I do not wish to stay in here." She whispered.

Felix looked at her in disgust. "You are serious. Fine. Go. Get out of my sight! The both of you have no relation to me!"

I looked at him, stunned. "What are you talking about?"

He pointed an accusing finger at me, fuming. "No brother of mine takes the woman that I love from under my nose and-"

"I give up." I whispered, bending down to scoop Eve up into my arms. "I give up trying to make you see the truth." With that, I turned around, left Felix's room, and headed across the hall to mine.

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I kneeled down and laid her down slowly on my bed and avoided her eyes. My face was beet red, and I was still a little shocked that she had heard every word that we had said. That meant she knew how I felt, and I wanted to tell her to her face when the time was right. Her hand reached out to touch my arm, and I reluctantly turned to look back at her.

Her emerald eyes were barely open, but a smile was on her face. "I just have to ask you about something I heard. Do you… do you really love me?"

I smiled back, the hold on my heart disappearing. I leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Go to sleep, Eve." I chuckled.

Her eyes became determined, and her fingers gripped on my shirtsleeve. "Do you love me?"

Slowly, my world came into view. I did… I did love her… so, so much. I had no trouble admitting it, but my mouth refused to form the words. But when I felt her fingers slowly uncurl, my heart raced, and I grabbed it, gripping it tightly in both of mine. My eyes met hers, opal on emerald and spoke. "Yes. I do love you."

The smile that lit her face was one of a kind, and she touched and traced my face lightly with her fingers. I released her hand, and she placed both of them on her stomach. Neither of us wished to drag out the moment. Besides, it wasn't like there wouldn't be others. After a few moments, she frowned. "Where are you sleeping?"

I shrugged. "I'll find a pallet."

She shook her head, her red hair splaying across the pillow. "I am not kicking you out of your bed." She paused and giggled, realizing that she all ready had. "Well, there's room in here for two, come on." I visibly blanched. Stay in bed… with _her_? Eve laughed at me, patting the bed. "Let's go, I'm going to fall asleep soon." Her voice was indeed weak, so I didn't try and fight her. I took off my boots and sword belt, lying down next to her. She turned over with some effort, and frowned. "You sleep in a shirt?"

My face went redder than her hair, without a doubt. I slowly sat up and fingered the collar, wondering if I should really do this. Sighing mentally, I pulled the shirt effortlessly over my head and tossed it to the side. I could almost feel Eve's eyes go wider. I knew that she would be mentally tracing the contours of my back, surprised that I hid anything under this shirt. I was secretly glad that she hasn't seen Felix – compared to him I'm a toothpick. I pulled the covers up of the both of us, and I laid down, facing her. She smiled up at me, and scooted closer, resting her head under my chin. I rolled onto my back, and she remained just as close, placing a hand over my heart. I closed my eyes, sighing, the smell of her skin lulling me to a comfortable sleep. Knowing that tonight was merely going to be a night of recovery, I wrapped my arms around her and cradled her against me. I needed to recover just as much as she did.

* * *

**((???'s POV))**

I walked the halls of the stone fortress, my silent footsteps ringing against the obsidian tiles. I passed by hundreds of dark doors, each of them almost blending into the stone walls. Light from thousands of torches could not penetrate the darkness that these corridors harbored. Nothing adorned the walls for nothing could be clearly seen. For me and other entities like me, our eyesight pierced the darkness easily. We could see everything that it hid: secrets, lies, and escape. Every single one of us can escape and run from what binds us, but either we believe we cannot or do not wish to. This is not the case with me. I refuse to leave this place that I loathe – not without _her_.

"Ah, there you are," A voice crooned, as if delighted they had found me. I, however, was far from pleased that they had. I had been planning to avoid the meeting with every drop of power I possessed. I began to wonder what I could do next time to avoid being placed in this situation when the voice spoke again. "Surely you did not plan to avoid me, did you?" Now the light voice was dripping with a venomous threat, suggesting that the thought better not have crossed my mind.

I turned, offering the woman that stood in the doorway a smile. I have been told on numerous occasions that my smile was one of a kind, one that lifted anyone's spirits. But for these people, more than that was needed to banish the darkness. A pale, slender hand reached out and took hers, and I raised it to my lips and kissed the back of her hand. "I would never dream of such a thing." I assured her, my voice sounding deep in the long hallway.

The woman returned my smile with true compassion, which immediately sickened me. I despised this woman greatly; I could not even begin to explain myself. We all held such rancor of her, taking us and forcing us to become someone we are not for her sake. I released her cold hand and she ushered me inside, shutting the door behind me with a small click.

I walked toward the far wall and leaned against it, my bright eyes surveying the room and all its occupants. The three women that waited with me I knew very well, and wished that I did not. The woman whom had greeted me was at her desk, rummaging through some papers. She never held my interest, and my eyes settled on to the one closest to her. The one whom I was studying was the best of the three, but far from a pleasant person to converse with.

Said woman leaned on the wall next to the door, black hood down. I was mildly surprised; we rarely saw her face. Her pale skin looked chalky in the lamplight, and her long, grayish blue hair looked bland and unattractive, doing her no favors. Only her dark, cobalt blue eyes benefited from the dim lighting. They looked over the room just as mine did. When our orbs of varying blues met, we acknowledged each other and turned to the woman who sat the furthest away from us at the same time.

Her midnight blue hair fell past her shoulders and brushed the tops of her breasts, which she barely had covered. To be exact, she covered only what she needed to. Violet optics met mine and they smiled sweetly, hoping to gain a reaction from my stone visage. I did not attempt to hide my disgust with her as I looked back at the now open door and the petite woman that stood there.

My face remained emotionless but my insides churned pleasantly, a feeling I was growing used to. She was by my side in an instant, and my eyes followed every movement she made in slow motion. I found myself fascinated with the way that the soft light rippled over her toned, dark skin, the way the muscles in her legs propelled her forward, and how her eyes never left my cold face. She leaned against the wall next to me, allowing me the pleasure to look at her for a little while longer. Her faded green hair looked like the forest green it used to the in the dim light, dark gray eyes looking at my boots. I internally smiled, my eyes still on her lithe form. Like the woman on the couch, her clothing left nothing to the imagination. Olive green shorts covered her modestly, and a matching bustier complimented what cleavage she had. Black ribbons were wrapped around her abdomen, leaving patches of skin to peak through. A fingerless glove adorned her left hand, and a black glove that reached her elbow on her right. A brown leg pouch hugged her left thigh, bulging with odds and ends. Through her belt loops was a black sash, sliming her all ready thin waist. Her eyes finally met mine and the traces of a true smile began to form when the woman that summoned us here began to speak.

"Now that we are all here," She began, "We have things to discuss, and people to appoint, specifically you four."

The woman that sat on the couch stood up and gracefully walked over, placing her hands on the dark wood of the desk. "What will you have me do, Mistress?"

"Lead the third squadron." The red headed woman said, not even looking up at her. I mentally smirked – this woman did not know when to shut her mouth. Third squadron served her right. It was an insult to receive it, and that is exactly what her inflated ego needed. For once, I agreed with Kallisto's decision.

The blue haired woman hissed, storming out of the room, letting the door slam shut behind her. Not only was she given the worst squadron, it meant that she was not in favor with our leader, which she took as a personal offense. Apparently she had yet to learn the true horrors of being close to such a woman. The silver haired archer was promoted to the second division, and she too left the office. I envied her – I all ready knew what was going on. The door shut silently behind her and Kallisto looked up at us. She gestured lazily with her hand, her mouth opening to speak in her elegant and deceitful tone. "Come here, Bellona."

The petite warrior next to me went forward, stopping with a hand on her hip in front of the desk. Our leader smirked, leaning forward. "I want you in control of the first division. I trust you and your abilities, and I am confident that you shall keep a good on my advisor, Ryuu."

I did not even lift my head when I heard my name. I knew yesterday of my promotion. As far as I was concerned, I did not even have to be at this little meeting. Kallisto spoke again, demanding both of our attentions. From what she was saying, Bellona and I were going to be here for a while.

* * *

This time I did not walk alone in the haunted hallways. She kept up with my long strides effortlessly, her hand resting gently in mine. She was a quiet being, but she always spoke to me. We had been quiet for a few minutes, and I was beginning to wonder when she would break the silence.

"Ryuu?" She began, looking up at me as her musical voice wrapped around my name.

I looked down at her, a faint smile coming across my face. "Yes, Bellona?"

"Do you know why were appointed as we were? Kallisto has never had a male advisor."

"I truly do not know why," I replied slowly, "But I believe that she may hold some… affection towards me."

My companion stopped dead in her tracks, openly starring at me. "I beg your pardon? She-"

"I am not sure," I informed her, my voice cutting in smoothly, "You have no need to fear though, her affections will never be returned."

"And why is that?" She questioned, dropping my hand and placing it on her hip.

I moved before she could even blink. My hand snapped out to grab her arm while my other arm reached out to embrace her. Tugging her close, her small body crashed against mine. Her head only reached my stone chest, and her ear could listen to my barely beating heart. I bowed my head, my voice a bare whisper. "I will never stray from you."

I could feel her smile as two strong, thin arms wrapped around my waist. "I know." She replied, her voice just as quiet. "I trust you."

I did not respond, my mouth incapable of forming words. Instead I held her close, running my fingers through her short hair and thought about our current position. We were easily replaceable. If we failed, all Kallisto had to do was snap her fingers and we would cease to exist. I unconsciously pulled Bellona closer into my black embrace, resting my head against hers. I vowed that we would make it through this.

We were just new, yet replaceable, faces in the dark.

But I was determined to remain.

* * *

A/N: I am DAMN proud of myself. This was THIRTEEN pages in Word. ((cheers and dances)) So, this is one heck of a chapter for all of you! Be happy! I'm very sorry for my long absence, but I am **back**! Whoot whoot! My resolution was to be better at updating, so I'm going to try my hardest!

For all of those who are curious, here are the meanings of the new names:

**Ryuu** - Japanese for "dragon"  
**Bellona** - from Roman Mythology meaning "to fight". This was the name of the Roman goddess of war.  
**Sayuri** - Japanese for "small lily"

Yay... I'm very happy with myself. xD I got a little bit of everything in here. Action, romance/fluff, and more plot with Kallisto. Yes! ((does a happy dance))

**Firefairie93  
laramary  
MyOwnWriter  
StrugglingArtist  
mistress of mist  
Lilix Vail  
XxLil-AngelxX  
Kataan  
DarlingOfAngelsDemonsSaints  
TatianaSaphira  
Priestess Kohana  
medevial charmed**

Thank you all so much for reivewing! Hopefully this chapter didn't "drag" like the last few have, and I hope that I can think of more things to place in the other chapters!

Just for a quick poll: Who liked Ryuu's POV for the last part? I had **so** much fun writing that it was almost sad. ((lol))

_- Vincent's Angel of Chaos_


	37. Moving Forward

**Don't Look Back – Chapter 37**

* * *

**Nine.**

**((Haku's POV))**

Never before had I imagined life to be this demanding and rewarding at the same time. Fatherhood was the most unpredicted and amazing event that I could have ever dreamed of. The twins are five months old, and their curious minds are already at work. Grabbing hair, skin, lips, and clothes seems to be their favorite past time. I would never trade all of those sleepless nights for anything, for I hold the best reward in my arms every night before bed, just like I did now.

I stood in the middle of the nursery, holding my sleepy daughter. My son had finally fallen silent an hour or so ago, having no problem admitting that he was worn out. Melusine, however, was a stubborn little handful. I began to hum a random scale of notes, swaying back and forth. Sadly, she was putting up another good fight to stay awake.

When a small fist reached up to rub at a dark blue eye, I chuckled to myself. "You are just full of it tonight, my dear!" I told her softly.

"Is she still awake?" A soft voice asked, shutting the door with a soft click.

I turned to face my tired wife and nodded with an apologetic smile. "She happens to be very determined. Sorry if we woke you."

Chihiro smiled fondly, waving it off and pushed up the sleeves of her robe and grinned at Melusine, who gurgled. She effortlessly lifted her from my arms, which she began to cry at. Instead of being hurt, she placed my daughter right back in my arms with a gentle chuckle and kissed her small forehead. "She wants her daddy."

The thought made my soul warm up and my heart to leap. I sometimes wondered if I was doing this right, but hearing things like that soothed my mind. Transferring Melusine over so I was able to old her with one arm, I wrapped the other around Chihiro, realizing just how long it had been since we had any time alone together, just the two of us. Melusine soon joined her brother in slumber, admitting defeat at last, and I placed her in her crib, tracing the crook of her arm before Chihiro wrapped her arms around my waist, resting her head on my broad back. We both left the nursery without a sound. I wanted to fly more now than ever and visit my river for a day at least. I had not been there in a while, and I knew that if I was too keep the darkness of the world away from my family with the wall of water that roared outside the bathhouse, I needed to go back and replenish my strength. I also hadn't been free of this bathhouse for months, and it was slowly driving me insane.

Chihiro pulled me down onto the couch, my head in her lap. Her soothing hand ran through my hair and I closed my eyes with a sigh. Peaceful times like this were rare as well. I smiled, turning my head to place a kiss on her abdomen. She giggled that giggle that sent the butterflies in my stomach fluttering. I chuckled in response, kissing her flat belly yet again as I straightened up. I turned toward her, reaching up to hold her face in my hands, making her giggle again.

To be honest, we'd been too busy to do… well, anything since the twins were born. Personally, not being able to spend time alone with my lover was infuriating, especially when she was constantly within mere inches of me. Leaning down, I placed the prolonged kiss upon her waiting lips.

Apparently, she felt the same.

I soon found myself tackled back onto the couch underneath her, her body pressed tightly against mine. I wrapped my arms around her without a second though, enjoying what had been denied me for so long.

She finally pulled away, holding herself up on her hands. "You're uptight." She said softly, tracing the lines of my face. "You want to get out of here, to fly, don't you?"

I kissed her palm with a sigh, wondering how she could so easily read my face. I rubbed her lower back as I spoke. "I want to get out of here – I need to visit my river before I go insane."

Chihiro just giggled and lied back down on my chest, ordering me to stay still. Doing as she asked, I began to wonder what she was planning. I nearly sat bolt upright and gasped as I felt her slip into my mind. I could feel her smile and her footsteps as she walked into my river. Her spirit flowed from the back of my head down my neck, sending thousands of tingling sensations down my spine. Traveling over my collarbone and directly over my heart, she stopped. It was then that I remembered what heaven felt like.

She was everywhere, flooding all of my senses the moment she dived under. I melted into the couch, my limbs losing the ability to hold themselves up. A soft sigh escaped my lips and I turned my head to the side, with some difficulty, towards the smell of her hair. Her flaming spirit burned in the back of my mind, etching itself in my soul. No one could ever take her away from me.

A pained sigh issued from my mouth as she left, her presence vanishing. Brown eyes blinked up at me and I smiled, running a hand through her hair. She smiled back, tilting her head to the side. "Feeling better?"

I smiled up at her sadly, nodding. "I am now, but that's only going to work for so long." At her frown, I tapped her nose and chuckled, pulling her back down. "Ah, but what would I do without you?" She giggled in response, tickling my chest with strands of her hair. Sliding a hand under my tunic, the warmth of her skin traced my cold chest, caressing my shoulder. I closed my eyes and held back a groan, not wanting her to know how badly I had missed this. By her laugh and grin, I obviously hadn't done a good job. As soon as I felt her other hand slip under, I removed the offending piece of cloth. She giggled – darn that giggle – and traced the muscles that had almost disappeared. Great, something else to add to my to do list – work out.

Before her clever mind could think of more ways to torture me, there was a knock at our door. Chihiro climbed off of me with a few grumbled protests as I stood to answer it. I slid the door back and a young bathhouse maid stood there with a tray of food for two. At her squeak of surprise and slightly pink cheeks, I realized that I lacked a shirt. Splendid.

Chihiro saved the moment by coming forward to stand slightly behind me. "What can we do for you?"

The young yuna blushed and looked past me, unsuccessfully, to reply to Chihiro's request. "Lady Yubaba noticed that you were not at dinner because you were putting the twins to bed, and she did not want you to go hungry." She said, slightly in a rush.

"Ah, I see," She replied, "That was nice of her. Can you set the tray on the table there?" Chihiro requested, gesturing to the small table in front of the couch that we had occupied a few moments before. The yuna scuttled to do as she was told, pausing only briefly at the sight of my discarded tunic on the floor. At that, she set down the tray, positively fleeing the room after she had given us a rather hasty bow. I shut the door behind her and shook my head with a chuckle. Chihiro wrapped her arms around me from behind, resting her head right between my shoulder blades. I sighed deeply, utterly relaxed. When I did, I caught a whiff of our meal.

"That smells good…" I commented.

"Yubaba did well," Chihiro admitted, "I thought that we would have to go scavenge later this evening."

I grinned, "So, my lovely, do you want to eat and then retire for the evening?"

She laughed at me and my implication and let me go, coming to stand in front of me. "Can we have dinner first?" She asked, calling my bluff.

I grabbed her around the waist and scooped her up, carrying her to the futon. We both fell onto it, laughing, and she kissed me. I was completely caught up in it that I didn't even notice where her hands were until they were on the waistband of my pants.

Breaking away, I pushed her back with a laugh. "Chi, we have food waiting and I don't want to waste perfectly-" I cut myself off with a nervous chuckle. "Forget I said anything."

Her look gave ice a run for its money.

* * *

The next day, the both of us were highly rejuvenated, winking and sneaking glances at each other from across the room.

Right now, Enlil was being fed his breakfast while I played with Melusine on the floor. She seemed more interested in trying to grasp my hair or face rather than the blocks in front of her. She gurgled when I let her have a piece of my dark green hair, but made careful notes to not let her pull it. It wouldn't matter if she did – she was too cute for me to get anywhere near mad.

She had a lot of hair for a baby, or so I'm told, making everyone compliment how adorable she was. They dark blue, almost black tresses were usually perfectly combed, letting her sea green eyes observe everything around her. I loved those eyes. I say that they're Perun's and my eyes mixed together and she was blessed with the result. My father laughed, telling me that Perun got his eyes from our mother. When I look at Melusine, I see... me. I always though that Enlil would take after me, but my daughter is the one that poking around in everything to learn about the world around her. She has her mother's smile though – that's going to make many a spirit's hearts.

Melusine brought me back to the moment when she successfully tugged my hair, grinning in triumph. Chihiro laughed, beginning to burp our son. He looked more like Kentoku than anything else. He had the soft, silver hair that my father had, but with the most unique eyes I have ever seen. They were a soft gold with flecks of brown; eagle eyes. My father was intrigued and decided to read up about what it could mean, seeing he actually has time for stuff like that. I think he found something, but he sure isn't telling me. Chihiro and I wondered where he could have possibly inherited them from, and we concluded that it was some twist with genes or thanks to some very distant relative. Regardless, I was a happy father.

Chihiro came over to lie down next to me, putting Enlil next to his sister. For twins, they sure didn't look alike. But when they looked up, they had almost identical faces. When they were born, I never liked to admit how little I knew about children. Chihiro had to explain to me that only twins that were either girls or boys could look identical, and even then they didn't have to be. I nodded, accepting it rather then plunge into the world of genetics. "Are you hungry, Mel?" She asked the little child, tapping her nose. Her response was to giggle and turn away, hiding her face in my shirt. I smiled and rubbed her back, touched. Chihiro smiled as well and tapped my nose too, kissing it moments later.

"She likes her daddy."

* * *

**((Kentoku's POV))**

Those two children wear me out, and their twins are going to make my silver hair go white one of these days. Amaya's daughter is very quiet, like her, which makes everyone very grateful. But after a day of watching her wears me out anyway. I must be getting old – splendid.

I flopped down on my sleeping mat with a sigh, not even bothering to undress all the way. The pants and the long robe kept me warm from the cold breeze that came in from the window anyway. I could hear the roaring water of Haku's glorious barrier. No doubt the Druids were baffled about it. I thought about finding a way to turn it into ice, but decided against it. The Druids could just melt it then. After all, it was doing a good job of keeping them out just the way it was. Why change it? Haku must be straining himself to keep it up this long…

This, among other thoughts, played in my head until I finally drifted to sleep.

_The Dream_

The room was just like it always was, elaborate and tacky in taste. The lot of them used to tease Yubaba about it, which always got her riled up. Kentoku sat there now; much different than when he had last sat in this room, starring idly into the fire. He sat alone, his mind drifting beyond the confines of the warm parlor. The flames gave a loud crack, jerking the wind spirit away from his musings. Mere seconds passed, and a man's groan caused Kentoku to leap to his feet. The flames twisted and writhed, forming fiery orange hair, followed by a face, shoulders, and the rest of the body. The man stood and Kentoku gasped in shock, his heart clenching at an all too familiar face.

Long, bright locks of fire hung down in a pale face, never hiding a pair of scintillating amber eyes. Dark gold scales were inlaid into his very flesh, covering the right side of his body and forming the shape of a powerful dragon. It was impossible to tell where the design began and ended, but it slithered up from his waist and weaved itself up to his shoulder and wrapped all the way down to his left elbow. Only a loincloth adorned his toned, pale figure, showing off just how well he could pull of the almost nude look. Many beaded necklaces hung around his neck, clinking together pleasantly with every breath that he took. An ever-present grin covered his face as he spread his muscled arms wide.

"Long time, no see, Kentoku. Seems that you've changed a bit."

The silver-haired man sputtered for a bit before he could reply, unbelieving of the sight before him. "You… are dead…" He choked out, closing his eyes. "Let me wake up – I know that you are dead, this is a dream…"

The other man frowned, looking at a potted plant in the far corner of the room. "He doesn't believe us… what now?"

"Did you expect him to?" A soft soprano asked, the potted plant slowly melding into the shape of a woman. "Do you honestly expect him to think differently than he's thought for the past hundred years? It's going to take more than words to convince him."

"Come again?"

The woman rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, stepping into the firelight that her companion had just emerged from. Dark forest green hair tumbled down her shoulders and back, brushing her hips. Brown eyes the color of dirt were as hard as the frozen ground in winter, and they were locked on amber. "Be reasonable. Kentoku is not going to believe everything that comes out of your mouth."

Despite his attempts to be serious, Kentoku's lip twitched up into a smile. The man grinned triumphantly and pointed a finger. "Aha! He isn't a walking wall of stone after all!" He let a chuckle out, failing to hide the growing smile.

The woman looked Kentoku fondly, the tone of her voice sad. "You really do not believe us… do you?"

Kentoku looked away. "The idea of you both alive is such an impossible one. You both have been dead for a century. You cannot just… pop back."

"But you want to believe it, I know you do…" the man trailed off, giving him a wink.

The wise spirit smile faintly. "Yes. With all that I am."

_End Dream_

I sat bolt upright in my bed; sweat hanging in beads on my face. My chest rose and fell with my heart, my eyes wide in disbelief. Was I hallucinating? Did I really just dream that? Oh, how sweet it would be if I could hear their voices, even if they were bickering, one more time…

Shaking off the memory, I got out of my bed and stood up shakily. I walked over to my window and let the cold air slap at my sweaty face. I shivered instantly, but I did not move. Before I got myself sick, the window closed itself. I jumped to the side, whirling around to face the opposite wall and found my door closed and tightly locked like I had left it.

"Confused?" A voice asked.

I spun around, my eyes searching vainly for the person in my room. They must have come in through the window…

"We mean you no harm…" another voice added, a woman this time.

"Yet you are the ones in my room, hiding from me," I said sarcastically, the lack of sleep and the lack of awareness on my part affecting my reactions. I had to get myself under control before I did something stupid.

The silence that followed was extremely tense, and was broken by the sound of booming laughter. I stood up straight, confused beyond all reason. The two invaders of my room emerged from the shadows. A loud, surprised gasp tore from my lips and I stumbled back, slamming against the thin wall. No doubt that woke Eve or Rin up; one of them, if not both, would be in here within minutes.

The copper-haired man looked at me with solemn eyes, their color and power reaching into me and tugging at my heart. "We _are_ alive, Kentoku," he told me, "I would never lie to you."

"But…" I croaked again, clearly unsure of what I should believe. The desire to drink up their words and promises was burning my logic away and I would give into them within a matter of moments.

"Kentoku?" Eve's voice called, knocking on my door.

I looked at the dark wood and then back at the two spirits looking at me. In the following three seconds, everything was decided. I believed them – damn myself if II was wrong, it was no one's fault but my own if my soul was crushed. "I will come find you. Just let me know where you are." I said quietly, sealing my fate. Both of their faces lit up and they nodded, disappearing just as Eve took it upon herself to open my door when I had failed to respond. The look of confusion on her face turned to one of slight alarm, making me really look at how this situation looked.

The blankets of my bed were rumpled and messy, I stood, without a shirt, back flat against the wall with sweat covering my skin accompanied by the biggest wide-eyed look in the universe.

There was no way I was going to lie myself out of this one.

But I knew as soon as I told her the truth, she would label me insane, flee from the room in tears because I was blabbering the words that she had been telling herself for years but knew that they were false hopes.

I was right.

I starred at the floor, my door slammed shut on Eve's crying dash out. Had I gone insane? Does one know when they've finally jumped off the deep end?

I wish I knew.

* * *

**Eight.**

**((Bellona's POV))**

I never realized how much I hated gossip and lady-like things until I had to spend a horrid day with Naomi. She was not happy being in charge of the third division, and she was clearly taking it out on Lillith and me. Kallisto would not stand for us fighting, so Lillith and I had to suck it up to the best of our abilities. Man, but Naomi is one spirit that you don't even want to look at. That woman… ugh, I'll refrain from cursing her, seeing as my soul carries enough sin as it is. At least Lillith was pleasant enough… when she talked. It didn't really bother me, seeing as I was so quiet myself (at least around them), but Naomi apparently had a problem with this.

Naomi broke our eighth tense silence with a rather odd question. "You know of the wall around the bathhouse, correct?" She asked, and I refrained from rolling my eyes. Why must she ask us that like we know nothing? "How much power and magic does that boy need to use to keep it standing?" She went on, completely ignorant of my facial expressions.

I looked at Lillith, my annoyance gone. We were both surprised at her semi-intelligent attempt at conversation. The wall was so talked about and debated that it had become an extinct topic, one that no one talked about, roughly five months ago. We decided to not share that piece of information. When Naomi was on a roll, there was no sense in stopping her. We were extremely pleased to say the least that the question that popped out of her mouth wasn't related to her wardrobe like last time.

"A significant amount of both, I would assume," Lillith replied, "The wall is making his strength painfully obvious, but it hides many more spirits like that behind its murky walls."

"That's very true." I replied, my foot swinging lazily. "I served under Lady Amaya, and she was a spirit that you never crossed. Lord Perun is even stronger than her, and I dare not dream of what Lord Kentoku and Lady Eve can do. Just their names alone scare most of our forces."

Naomi leaned forward eagerly, "I've heard that Eve can raise the dead…"

Lillith scoffed, "Of course she cannot. She can save someone from death, not bring them back. No one can."

"How do you know? Were you actually there when she did that?" Naomi pressed and I closed my eyes. She was acting like a little child begging for you to explain something just so she could contradict everything that came out of your mouth, even if it was right. It annoyed Lillith and I to no end, and we were bound to suffer another round. But the barrage of questions never came, so I opened my eye to figure out what was going on.

It turns out that Naomi had turned her gaze on me. My heart plunged down to my stomach as she opened her mouth to speak. "I'd rather heard about you, Bell. You're much more interesting than a stupid wall anyway." My eye twitched at the self-applied nickname, and I mentally prayed for my safety. Who knows what that woman was thinking! "What's up with you and Kallisto's right hand man?" Naomi asked, giggling like a toddler who had gotten a piece of candy. Even Lillith turned to face me, interested in this turn of events.

I managed an icy cold glare through my internal panic. Sometimes this unnerved her and she dropped the subject, but this time, no such luck. _'Time to put on the practiced charade,' _I thought, rolling my eyes, my voice dripping with disapproval. "What on earth are you saying? Me, with Ryuu? If I had any desire to have someone warm my bed, I would at least find someone fitted my tastes."

"As would I," a dry voice drawled from the doorway, "I, too, could do much better."

We all turned to look at who had spoken. I scowled and crossed my arms. "What do you want, Ryuu?"

"Nothing," he replied, "but Kallisto does. Hurry – she is getting impatient." I rolled my eyes and rose from my armchair, leaving the small parlor. Ryuu shut the door behind me and I turned down the hall, heading towards Kallisto's office.

A low chuckle followed me and a lazy arm wrapped around my waist. "Where are you going, Bell?" A breathless voice asked me, whispering in my ear.

I couldn't stop the grin that came across my face, but I did manage to suppress the giggle. "To Kallisto's office, of course. You said she needed me, remember?"

He snorted, pulling me down the other way, toward his rooms most likely. "She doesn't. How else was I supposed to get you out of there?"

"I don't know if I should hurt you or thank you!" I groaned, letting him tow me down to wherever he was headed.

"Don't do either." He breathed, pressing my back against his, forcing us to stop. "Just love me."

I froze then. The question that had been plaguing me: could I love him? I wanted to, more than anything, but could a heart as black as mine love a man like Ryuu? He hugged my tighter, becoming afraid of my silence.

"I… I don't know… if I can…" I said shakily answered.

"Good. I don't know if I can either." He chuckled, "But I'm going to try."

"I smiled and placed my hand on his cheek. "Sounds good. So will I."

"That's all I ask." He told me gently, kissing my forehead.

Things may not end perfectly for us, but I, along with Ryuu, will enjoy what we have now, while it lasts.

* * *

A/N: I am one lazy ass person, huh? I am so sorry this took my so long, almost three months, but it's here. I'm about 2/3 done here, and I'm ready to get this puppy done before I completely go insane. I have a short little sequel after this and I really want to get started on that. But, I need to finish this first otherwise it's going to spoil everything. Grr.

Well, this is dedicated for everyone who reviewed last chapter. You all are awesome and you put up with me being lazy and irresponsible. I've had this written for who knows how long, but we're not going to go into details and make myself feel worse.

I'm not putting names here - you all know if you reviewed. If you did, thank you, I love you. xD

- Vincent's Angel of Chaos

P.S. If you've noticed the coutdown, starting with the **Ten.** last chapter, good for you. You get cookies.


	38. Interlude

You all are probably wondering _where_ in the world I've run off.

Well, for your greedy little minds… far, _far_, _**far**_ away.

Marching season and color guard hit me right between the eyes and I'm still not back on my feet. With winter guard starting up now, I'm beginning to flail around. Things aren't nearly as busy – _thank_ the Lord Almighty – but I'm so not out of the frying pan yet.

As you might have noticed, I've gone back on my original plans, and a promise, to crank out new stories and sequels. Most likely, they'll never be written unless they beat me to a bloody pulp, _demanding_ attention. So far, they haven't. I hope they stay that way.

However, I refuse to quit something that I've already started. I **refuse** to drop Don't Look Back. I know that you all are looking forward to a new update, and I can imagine that I have severely crushed your hopes and dreams when you're reading THIS instead of a new chapter.

Infuriating, I know. I never thought I would write an "I'm sorry" piece/chapter/explanation... thingy, but, apparently I am. I feel bad for being gone for so long.

You should have noted that I changed my Pen Name. It annoyed me – was way too long.

I used to be Vincent's Angel of Chaos, but now it's **BlazingxSoul**. **Remember that**. It'll probably never change again. The old one was for when I was completely new to the whole scheme of writing, but now I'd like to view myself as someone experienced, but far from veteran. For the lack of something new and inventive, I used a name that most know me all over the Internet for.

Search. It might be fun – who knows.

So, all in all, I'm here to say I'm sorry, I'm not giving up, and I'm still writing. Maybe – just maybe – you might see something of mine out there.

_Hopefully on the bookshelves!_

But don't get your hopes up – I'm not. Let me finish it first. Haha.

However, when I do post the next chapter (which I pray is soon), I'll take this piece down and it will be as if I never wrote it. That way the chapters are still in good working and numerical order. xD

Sincerely,

_BlazingxSoul_


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